Island Rescue
by Bwayrox
Summary: A/U - Mary Margaret Blanchard is engaged to be married to a man her sister, Emma, doesn't believe she's in love with. Emma conspires with friends to enact a plan to stop the wedding by reigniting Mary Margaret's relationship with her old flame David Nolan. Just how far will Emma go to get Mary Margaret and David together.
1. A Picture Doesn't Lie

**A Picture Doesn't Lie**

Emma stormed angrily into the kitchen talking to herself while slamming things around looking for the pop tarts. Well, it wasn't really talking to herself, more like yelling. "If he thinks he can do this kind of stuff to my sister and get away with it, he's got another thing coming. That sorry, no good, arrogant, piece of-"

"Emma!" Mary Margaret's shrill voice interrupted her from where she sat at the table. Her eyes were dry now, but still extremely red and swollen due to the fact that she had been up most of the night crying.

Emma startled at the sound of Mary's voice. She hadn't realized anyone was in here. One look at her sister was all it took to realize that Mary already knew the reason that Emma herself was ready to spit nails this morning. She immediately sat down and reached for Mary Margaret's hand.

"Oh Mare, I'm so sorry! Don't worry. He's not going to get away with this. I'm going to kick his-"

"Emma, stop." Mary Margaret reprimanded her again.

"What? He deserves it."

"He doesn't deserve it. It was just a big misunderstanding."

"Okay, maybe you haven't seen what I'm talking about." Emma pulled her phone out of her pocket, but Mary gently stopped her.

"I've seen it, and I don't care to look at it again. It's just the press misconstruing the situation for their own gain."

"Is that what he said? And you believe him?"

"He's my fiancé, of course I believe him."

Emma jumped up from her chair in frustration. "You can't be serious, Mary Margaret.

"Serious about what?" Their friend Ruby asked as she entered the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. She poured herself a big glass of orange juice to help swallow the aspirin she had brought down from the upstairs medicine cabinet. She was hoping the combination would make quick work of the headache that was currently seething behind her temple.

"Rough night?" Emma asked, observing Ruby's actions.

"Fun night, rough morning." Ruby turned to Mary Margaret. "Where'd you go last night anyway? I thought we came to Florida and rented this beach house to have our final hurrah, celebrating your last summer of freedom before you marry the junior statesman. You just disappeared without a word. I had to catch a ride home from Graham."

"Which I'm sure was no real hardship on you since you spent the entire night flirting with him," Mary said with a knowing smile.

"Yes, except for the fact that his friend, the one that has a big crush on you, didn't have a date and so he was hanging around all night like a third wheel."

"That's your own fault. I told you when we saw them at the club that I was not going to awkwardly pretend to still have a thing for David just so you would have an excuse to hang out with Graham. Did you forget that I'm engaged to be married?"

Ruby crossed her arms and huffed at Mary Margaret. "I didn't ask you to do anything but have a drink with the guy. You know, for old times sake."

"I'm sorry, but that ship sailed a long time ago."

"Not according to Graham. He said that David has hardly looked at a girl since the two of them met while being stationed overseas together two years ago. He thinks it's because he's never gotten over you."

"Seriously Ruby, we went on a handful of dates over a three month period. That's barely even enough to count as an actual relationship."

"Wait," Emma interrupted. "David is here? The guy Mary was so gaga over? The one she called her Prince Charming? What is he doing here?"

"That's the one. He and his buddy are stationed here. How's that for a coincidence? Also, he couldn't stop staring at your sister all night, and did nothing but mope after she left."

"I think you should go for it Mare." Emma took a bite of her pop tart before continuing with her mouth still full, "Give Frank a taste of his own medicine, see how he likes it.

"Emma, please. I already told you that he explained everything to me. It wasn't his fault, and nothing happened."

"What are the two of you talking about," Ruby asked in confusion.

"Pictures of Frank with a half-dressed woman hanging on his arm were plastered all over social media last night."

Ruby quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket to search out the incriminating pictures. "OMG! Is this why you disappeared last night? That Jerk. Who is she?"

"It's not what it looks like. I've already talked to Frank, and he explained everything. It was completely innocent."

Ruby looked at her full of sympathy. "Honey, I don't know what he told you, but I don't see how this could be anything but what it looks like."

"Exactly," Emma agreed, her voice filled with scorn. "I mean look at the picture. Her shirt's hanging open. There is practically no space between their bodies, his arm is around her waist, and I'm pretty sure her tongue is in his mouth."

Mary was on the verge of tears again as she tried to explain to them what Frank said had happened. "His friends decided to throw him an impromptu bachelor party, and invited a bunch of girls to their hotel last night. He didn't even know about it until the girls showed up. He thought it was just supposed to be a guy's night. He recognized one of the girls who showed up. Apparently she is the daughter of a congressman. She was extremely intoxicated and he said that he just wanted to get her out of there before someone took complete advantage of her. He was trying to protect her. His arm is around her because she was so out of it that she couldn't even stand up on her own. He said he pushed her back as soon as she started kissing him, but it was too late. They had already snapped the picture. He just ignored it because he was trying not to cause a scene and make things worse. He just wanted to get her in the car and home as quickly as possible."

Emma rolled her eyes. "That sounds plausible…NOT! Come on Mary, you're smarter than this. This isn't even the first time."

"That's not fair. We were broken up the last time."

"Really? Because I remember sitting in your room with you while you were crying about him cheating on you. Apparently you were unaware the two of you were broken up."

"You're right Emma." Mary Margaret's voice rose in volume as exasperation at her sister flared. "I thought we were just fighting, but he took it differently. He thought I was breaking up with him. And you know Frank, he can't stand when his pride is hurt. He stupidly thought that by being with someone else, he could make himself believe that he didn't love me, that he didn't need me. That fact that he was so distraught at the thought that I might leave him, just proves how much he does love me."

"Is that what he told you? That he was with her because he loved you? Do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds? People who are in love don't go out and sleep with someone else when they have an argument, even if they have broken it off. They apologize. They beg for forgiveness. They stay and work it out."

Ruby sat there between the two of them, not sure what to do. The two sisters were extremely close, and rarely fought like this. But both were as stubborn as all get out, and it didn't look like either was willing to back down. They ignored all of Ruby's attempts to intervene and calm the situation.

"It was a mistake, Emma. For your information he did apologize. He did beg for my forgiveness, and I gave it. We did work it out, as you can tell by the fact that I'm still wearing this ring"

"And last night was another mistake? How many does he get?"

"Last night was a simple misunderstanding. It was him trying to do the right thing, and protect a girl who was in way over her head."

Emma scoffed as she brought her hand up between her eyes, trying to relieve the pressure forming at her frustration with her sister. She loved Mary Margaret, and wanted desperately to protect her from what she knew was going to be a bad marriage. Frank Steinman was an arrogant womanizer. He was most certainly not good enough for her big sister. She was suspicious that his only interest in Mary Margaret was that she was Leo Blanchard's daughter, and as such, she would make an excellent political wife. Her father was retired now, but as a former Governor of Maine, and even more so as a one-time Vice Presidential candidate, his name opened doors. Having his daughter as a wife would certainly serve to accelerate Frank's career. The fact that Mary Margaret was well-educated, intelligent, and beautiful was an added bonus. Emma was pretty sure that love was far down on the list of attributes that made Frank Steinman want to marry her sister.

Emma removed her hand from where it was pressed on her head and opened her eyes. She looked directly at her sister, her gaze full of concern and compassion. "Mary Margaret, is this really what you want? The kind of life that marriage to Frank will mean. Look at dad and Regina. This once positive and full of life man, has become cynical and tired. The same with Regina. Life in the public eye, and a husband who was rarely home, has turned her hard and bitter. They are a shadow of the people they use to be. I think even they can't see beyond the masks they put on to know what's real and what's not anymore. I don't want that for you."

Mary Margaret had had enough. She stood up and slammed her chair under the table. "No, you don't want it for you, and that's fine. But don't question my love for Frank, or his love for me, just because it doesn't fit your mold. You seem to think the only way a person can be happy is to be rebellious. Well, I'm sorry that I've disappointed you because I didn't follow in your footsteps. I didn't leave home, change my last name, and take up with a pirate like you."

"Killian is not a pirate! He's a ship's captain, and a darn good one. He had one run in with the law, and no one in this family can seem to forget it. It wasn't even his fault. He was just following orders. How was he supposed to know that the cargo they had loaded onto his ship was stolen? The courts found him not guilty, but apparently that doesn't count in the court of Leopold Blanchard."

Mary Margaret's heart wrenched at the look on Emma's face. She loved her sister. It was supposed to be the two of them against the world. That's what they had promised each other after their mother's death. Eva Blanchard had been the heart of their family. Their father had not known how to deal with her death, or single fatherhood. His response had been to withdraw into himself and his work. He spoiled his daughters. He gave them everything they could ever want. Everything but him. Mary Margaret was sure that it was because they reminded him so much of her that he couldn't bear it. She herself looked so much like her mother physically, that she was practically a carbon copy. But it was Emma who truly took after their mother. Emma had her spirit, her fire.

Their mother had taught them the most important thing in life was to spread good in the world. She said every interaction was an opportunity to bring joy to someone. Mary couldn't stop the tears from falling. She tried so hard, but she was sure that she was disappointing her mother's memory. Mary Margaret's way of doing what her mother had asked, was to try to make other people happy by doing what they wanted her to do. It had almost always been at the expense of what she actually wanted to do. She had been doing it for so long now, that she honestly didn't know what she truly wanted anymore.

Emma watched Mary Margaret waiting for a response. She had expected her to vehemently defend their father, like she usually did. Or possibly to storm from the room. The silence was unexpected. So she watched her, and she could tell. She could tell the exact moment that Mary Margaret began thinking of their Mother. She had seen that look many a night, as they had sat huddled together, telling each other stories, trying not to forget her. It was a look they shared. The look of a lost little girl, who desperately missed their mama.

Emma didn't do emotional well, she was more of an action kinda girl, but for her sister she was willing to try. "Mary Margaret," she whispered softly as she moved closer and took her hands. "Even if Killian was a pirate, I'd be with him. I'd be with him because he makes me happy. He truly loves me. He puts up with my stubbornness. He laughs at my sarcasm…even when I'm not trying to be funny. He's always there for me. He calls me to say good night and good morning every day when he's at sea, because he says the only thing he needs to have a good day is to hear my voice. He lets Dad call him a pirate, and doesn't even get angry, because he respects him as my father. In a room full of beautiful and brilliant women, his eyes never roam, because he says that I'm the most beautiful and brilliant.

Mary Margaret finally looked up and met Emma's gaze. "That's because you are."

"No I'm not. God knows I'm definitely not." Emma allowed herself a small chuckle, before turning serious again. "But to Killian, I am. That's the point. You deserve that kind of love Mary Margaret. Does Frank make you feel like that? Tell me that he does. Tell me that he makes you happy and I won't say another word."

Mary stood there, tears rolling down her pink cheeks. "Yes, he does," she finally managed croak out. Before anyone could respond to her declaration, a flash of light at the window garnered their attention.

"It's a photographer!" Ruby yelled, prompting Mary Margaret to run out of the room and upstairs, while Emma went through the back door and gave chase.

She returned a few minutes later, out of breath and cursing. "They got away. They had a boat waiting in the water near the beach."

"Do you think we should call the police?" Ruby asked.

Emma picked up her phone. "I guess it couldn't hurt, but I don't know what they can do. I'm sure that we'll see that picture everywhere within the hour."

"Yeah, with some awful headline about the former governor's daughter being distraught over her cheating fiancé."

"Calling the police is probably only going to make it worse." Emma put her phone down. "Where did Mary go?"

"She took off upstairs as soon as you headed out the door." Ruby paused before mentioning what she really wanted to talk about. "You know that she was lying when she said that Frank makes her happy, right?"

"Yes, but there's nothing I can do if she won't admit it."

"I wish I could see Frank's face when he sees the picture of Mary crying. Maybe he'll actually feel bad about it."

Suddenly Emma's face lit up with the beginning of an idea. "You know what Ruby, I don't think he'll feel bad at all. It'll probably just boost his ego to see her crying over him. But I think I know the kind of picture that will upset him, and I have a plan to pull it off, if you'll help me."

Emma place her arm over Ruby's shoulders, and the two of them huddled together. Whispering as between them the details of the plan began to come together.


	2. Stormy Departure

**Stormy Departure**

Emma pulled her yellow bug up to the harbor. Mary Margaret was sitting in the passenger seat, but she was still protesting.

"Emma, I don't really feel like going out on the boat today, especially not with you and Killian. I still haven't recovered from last time I went out with you guys."

Emma's face turned completely red as she remembered the incident her sister was referring to. She had walked in on her and Killian in a rather compromising situation. They had gone down below to find something to eat, and ended up satisfying a different kind of hunger.

"It wasn't completely our fault," Emma tried to defend herself. "We thought that you were up top sunbathing. If you remember, you just walked in without knocking."

Mary Margaret took on that motherly tone that made Emma cringe. She hated when Mary thought she had to be the mother, just because she was two years older. "You were in the kitchen, Emma. Last time I checked, you didn't have to knock before entering the kitchen."

"The galley." Emma couldn't help the snotty tone as she corrected her.

"What?"

"On a boat, the kitchen is called the galley."

"Okay, whatever. You were in the galley, then. Whatever it's called, it's a public area. An area where the food is kept and prepared for goodness sake."

"Well you don't have to worry about that today. It won't be just us. Ruby went on a supply run, and then is meeting us at the boat."

"I'm not in the mood for a party, Emma."

"Well I'm not going to let you stay locked up in your room all day. You invited us here remember? Girl's weekend."

"I invited you, not Killian. And when I said girl's weekend, I was envisioning pizza and wine, staying in our pajamas all day, watching chick flicks, and having facials. Last night I let Ruby talk me into going to a nightclub, and now we're going yachting. Two things I hate."

Emma rolled her eyes, "Gheez, when did you get so boring."

"It's my weekend remember? I should get to choose how we spend it."

"Look, we're already here. Killian has the boat ready to go. Just do this one thing for me, and then if you want, we can spend the rest of the weekend slathering mud on our faces, painting our nails, and playing, never have I ever, or whatever other stupid party game you want. I'll even pretend to be having a good time while doing it."

Mary Margaret sighed as she opened the car door to get out. "I'm beginning to be sorry that I invited you along."

"After today, you most assuredly will be," Emma mumbled under her breath as she grabbed her stuff from the back seat.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," Emma said, as she handed Mary Margaret her beach bag. "Let's just get on the boat."

Killian took Emma's bag from her and kissed her on the cheek. "Hello, Love." He reached out to help Mary Margaret over the railing. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you Killian," Mary Margaret offered. "It was very nice of you to agree to take us out today."

"My pleasure, lass."

Emma took Killian's hand and gave him a knowing look. "Is everything ready to go?"

"Indeed it is." Killian raised his eyebrows in question. "Shall we shove off, then?"

"Wait," Mary Margaret said in confusion. "I thought Ruby was coming?"

"Oh, she's already onboard. She's below deck, putting away the supplies," Killian replied.

Relief flooded her features. "Oh good. I'll just go help her then."

Emma stepped in front of her. "You don't need to do that. You're the guest of honor, remember?"

"But I want to help." Mary Margaret walked around Emma and headed down into the cabin area.

Emma turned to Killian in a panic. "Are Graham and David down there with her?" Killian nodded his head in the affirmative. "How fast can you get us off shore? As soon as my sister sees that we are taking them along, she's going to want off this boat."

"Your wish is my command, Love." Killian rushed up to the bridge and engaged the engines, heading out to sea within minutes.

Emma stood next to Killian and impatiently tapped her nails on dash. "Can you maybe go a little faster?"

"We're in a no wake zone. They rather frown upon you going too fast. That is unless you want to deal with the authorities."

"Emma!" Mary Margaret's voice growled as they heard her footsteps stomping across the deck.

"Dealing with the authorities might be easier that dealing with my sister." When Mary Margaret's head appeared above the ladder, Emma turned back to her boyfriend. "Whatever you do Killian, do not turn this boat around." Emma enforced her warning with a look that let him know the kind of trouble he would be in if he didn't agree.

Emma braced herself for the coming fury. Mary Margaret was usually so easy-going and nauseatingly positive that people made fun of her for it. She let things roll off her shoulder and was quick to forgive. As a result, she didn't get angry often, but when she did she was a force to be reckoned with, and Emma knew she was going to have some reckoning to do.

Mary Margaret was completely incensed by the time she made it up to Emma and Killian. Her normally pale skin was so red that it reminded Emma of a cartoon character. Emma half expected smoke to suddenly start coming from her ears. She actually had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud at the thought. That was until Mary Margaret's seething tone sobered her.

"Emma, I don't know what the hell was going through your mind when you planned this little excursion. Well no, I do, but you can just forget it." Mary Margaret peered around Emma to lock her fierce gaze on Killian. "Killian turn this damn boat around and take me back to shore right now. I'm getting off."

Emma placed her hand on Killian's arm to let him know to stay the course, straight ahead. She took a deep breath preparing to face off with her sister. Mary Margaret rarely cursed. This was going to be bad. She tried her best to put on an air of innocence. "What are you talking about Mare, I haven't done anything."

"Oh, don't give me that. I know how you're mind works. You even alluded to it this morning."

"Alluded to what exactly?"

"That I should have a go with David. Use him to make Frank jealous. Did you honestly think that was going to happen? That I think so little of my fiancé, that one look at David in swim trunks and his charming smile, would have me stripping off my morals, along with my clothing? Did you put fresh sheets on the bed for us? Or should we just take a page from you and Killian's book, and try out the kitchen countertop?"

"Come on, Mary Margaret, that's not fair and you know it."

"What's not fair is you trying to manipulate me into something like this. Who else is in on this? Ruby I'm sure. What about David? Did he agree to this? Is he part of your little plan too? Is everybody on this boat just sitting around taking bets on how long it will take me to give in? I hope you got good odds Emma, because guess what, you lose."

By the time Mary Margaret had finished her rant, she was practically screaming. The dam broke as the tears came rushing down Mary Margaret's face. Emma and Killian stood frozen in place, not sure how to respond. Mary Margaret took several deep breaths, as she wiped at the tears in her eyes. She refused to look at Emma and instead focused her attention on Killian.

"Killian, why haven't you turned this boat around yet?"

Killian looked questioningly at Emma. "Maybe we should go back, Love."

Before Emma could answer Ruby appeared from the ladder. "In case any of you were wondering at all, your voices are so loud we heard everything you just said." Emma cursed, while Mary Margaret moaned in embarrassment. "David, Graham, and I followed you out onto the deck not realizing you were about to climb up here and wage war on your sister. David disappeared about the time you started shouting about us taking bets. He had no part in this by the way. It was all me and Emma."

Mary Margaret ran her hands through her hair, as she replied sarcastically. "Well great. Things just keep getting better and better."

Emma stepped forward. Her hands twitched nervously at her side, like they did whenever she allowed herself to be vulnerable, and apologizing always made Emma feel vulnerable. "I'm sorry, Mare. I don't know what I was thinking."

Mary Margaret sighed, as her anger dissipated. "I do." She reached out and took Emma's hand. "You were thinking that you were protecting me. You want me to be happy. You just need to trust that I can figure that out on my own. And that it may not look the same as your happily ever after."

Emma stuttered slightly as she answered. "I guess I can do that."

A snort erupted from Mary Margaret. "Don't make it sound so convincing."

Emma smirked as the two sisters shared a hug, "So I guess this means you're going to make me apologize to Frank too."

"Why, what else did you do?" There was that motherly tone coming out again.

"I might have sent him a very scary text describing the gouging out of his eyes, and alluding to the possibility of castration as well."

"Emma, seriously! Yes, you have to apologize."

Ruby stepped in. "Let's not get started again. We're here to have fun remember."

Killian wrapped his arm around Emma's waist. "Does that mean our little excursion is still a go?"

Emma looked to Mary Margaret for an answer. Mary Margaret shook her head, "Yes, on one condition. No more hijinks from the three of you."

The three of them chimed in at the same time.

"Absolutely."

"You can count on us."

"Wouldn't dream of it, love"

"Well then, I guess I should go talk to David." Mary Margaret wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. "I should probably clean up my face a little first, so I don't scare him."

"You look beautiful as usual, but I have a little powder and an awesome red lipstick in my bag if you want."

"I'm just going to apologize and ask if we can remain friends, Ruby. I don't need a makeover, I just don't want to look like a splotchy, puffy, crying mess."

After a stop in the bathroom, Mary stood outside the door to the kitchen…no, the galley. She took several deep breaths trying to get up the courage to go inside and face David. She had no doubt that her words had probably humiliated him. He was one of the nicest guys she had ever known, certainly the nicest she had ever gone out with. Even though they had only dated each other for a few months, and hadn't seen each other in close to two years, she knew without a doubt that he would never have agreed to be a part of a plan like the one Emma and Ruby had concocted. It had taken a month of flirting and dancing around their almost magnetic attraction for each other, for him to even get up the courage to ask her out. He had been a perfect gentleman during their dates, stopping before anything had ever gone too far. Even when she had practically thrown herself at him, he had stopped them before things had ever gotten out of hand. If Emma knew all the details about the final moments of their relationship she would have realized that David Nolan was probably the last person she should have brought in to seduce her.

It had been two years ago since her relationship with David had ended, yet sometimes it still felt like yesterday. She had known when she met him that he had just signed on with the Air Force and was scheduled to leave for boot camp at the end of the summer. Still, she had been shocked when he had left without so much as a good-bye. She had to admit that it had hurt…that it still hurt. Ruby had to be wrong about him still having feelings for her. He was the one who had ended things between them without a word. No reason. No last goodbye. Not even a breakup text message.

She entered just as David was popping the top on a bottle of beer. He looked up, unable to hide the startled look from his face when he saw her.

"I could certainly use one of those?" She said to break the ice, as she pointed to the beer.

He silently handed her the one that he was holding and crossed to the refrigerator to get another one for himself. After opening it, he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms in an effort to look casual and unconcerned, but instead looked nervous and stiff. Mary was surprised by how well she could still read him. She remembered them joking about how they always seemed to know what the other was thinking, and often finished each other's sentences. She had thought it was a sign that they were two halves of a whole. That they had been destined for each other. How wrong she had been.

David took a big swig from his bottle, before breaking the silence between the two of them. He focused on the ground, unable to make eye contact as he spoke. "I'm really sorry Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret quickly interrupted him. "I'm the one who owes you an apology."

David finally looked up and caught her eyes. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I did. I never should have said those things. I knew you had nothing to do with whole situation." Suddenly she stopped with a start. Why was he apologizing? Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought. A lump formed in her throat as she asked him. "You didn't know about it, did you?"

"No, no I didn't," David assured her. "But I still owe you an apology. I shouldn't have come. I knew that you were engaged, but I thought…" David didn't finish his sentence. Instead he nervously picked at the label on his beer bottle.

"You thought what?"

"I saw the pictures in the news. They said that he was cheating on you. I assumed that meant you two we're breaking up."

Mary Margaret crossed her hands over her chest and took on an offensive tone as she answered to the allegations on her relationship. "The news media is just trying to create a story where there isn't one. Frank is not cheating on me. We are not breaking up."

David took a step back and put his hands up in front of him defensively. "Woah, okay, I'm sorry I said anything. I didn't know."

Mary sighed as she gave him a look of atonement. "I didn't mean to attack you. It's just that everybody seems to have it out for Frank. I'm tired of my sister and my best friends thinking they know better than me what I need, or who I should love. Why can't they believe me when I say I'm happy?"

Mary closed her eyes to the tears that she could feel starting to form again. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of David. She scrunched her face as hard as she could, but it was no use. She kept her eyes closed, afraid to look at him, as she mentally tracked the wetness of a single tear making its way slowly down her cheek. She felt the gentle touch of his fingertips as he wiped the tear from her face. She slowly opened her eyes to meet his, so startlingly blue that they still took her breath away.

"I am happy." She tried to infuse her voice with as much confidence as she could muster.

She thought for a moment that she could see the beginnings of tears glistening in his eyes, but just like that it was gone. He smiled as he held his hand out, waiting for a handshake.

"Well hello, Happy. It's nice to meet you. I'm Grumpy."

Mary just stared at him in confusion. "Are you making fun of me?"

David pulled his hand back and placed it in his back pocket. "It was a joke. You know, Happy and Grumpy are two of the seven dwarfs. You said you were Happy." When Mary Margaret didn't say anything, and instead just continued to blankly stare at him, he shrugged his shoulders, "I know it was lame. I was just trying to get you to laugh."

Finally Mary Margaret cracked a smile. "It was kind of dopey."

It took a moment for his brain to click. "Wait, I see what you did there. Dopey. Good one Mary Margaret." The tension left the room as the two of them enjoyed a much needed laugh together.

When the laughter stopped, David met her eyes. "I'm glad you're happy. I want that for you. You are truly amazing, Mary Margaret, and you deserve to be happy." Those words were true, but the next ones were not. David forced himself to say them. The ones he did not mean. The ones that encouraged her to marry someone else. "If you've found that with Frank, then I think that you should marry him, no matter what anyone else says."

"Thank you," was her simple reply.

She wanted to ask him if she was so amazing then why had he just up and left without saying anything? And why was he here now? Now, when she was trying to move on? The fact that he thought she was breaking off her engagement wasn't enough of an answer. Not when he could have had her two years ago. When he did have her….heart, body, mind, and soul. She wanted answers to all these questions. She wanted to scream at him, maybe even hit him, but she didn't. She simply swallowed the questions and smiled at him.

"Friends?" David asked, holding his beer bottle out to her seeking her acceptance.

"Friends." She agreed as she clinked her bottle neck with his.

He offered his hand to her. "Shall we rejoin the others as a united front against their schemes?"

"Yes, let's." She smiled as she placed her hand in his.

Together they made their way back up on deck. Both of them ignored the surge of electricity that seemed to hum between their linked hands.


	3. A Splash of Memory

**A Splash Of Memory**

As David and Mary Margaret emerged out onto the deck, their friends were quick to begin again with the apologies. They both reassured them that all was forgiven and that the two of them had agreed to put the past behind them and remain friends.

About 5 miles offshore Killian laid anchor. The guys immediately set about preparing to swim, while the girls' plan was to lay out on the deck and enjoy some sun.

Emma threw a bottle of sunscreen at Killian, which he caught easily. He cocked one eyebrow as he gave her a lascivious smile, "I'm assuming you wish me to use my skilled hands to apply this to your skin."

"That's why I threw it at you. Whatever else that look implies you have in mind is not happening."

Killian pretended to be offended. "I have no idea as to what the lady might be referring to. Maybe you wish to explain it further, so I can be sure it doesn't happen."

Mary Margaret lifted her sunglasses up a few inches and looked pointedly at the two of them. "Watch it you two. Remember what you promised."

Emma burst into laughter. "Mary Margaret, you are such a prude. We were just teasing, you act like we were fixing to make out right here on the deck."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Emma stuck her tongue out a Mary Margaret, while Killian began to spread the sunscreen along the back of her legs.

"Yes, let's act like we're twelve." Mary Margaret said with a sigh as she lowered her sunglasses back over her eyes, and leaned back on her elbows.

Mary Margaret watched as Graham hesitantly moved to stand near Ruby. "I could help you…with your sunscreen…if you need it."

Ruby smiled as she turned her back to him and pulled her long tresses in front of her shoulder. "Yes, that would be helpful."

Mary Margaret and David were left awkwardly watching the other couples smile and flirt as they applied sunscreen. She could feel the burn in her cheeks as she imagined David's hands rubbing sunscreen on her. She pulled down the brim of the flopping hat she was wearing, hoping to hide the fact that she was blushing from David, or worse, from Emma, who she was sure wouldn't hesitate to point it out.

David's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'm going to go ahead and get in the water." He pulled off his shirt and placed it on the seat. Turning, he stepped up onto the swim deck and did a perfect dive off the stern of the boat. Mary Margaret quickly looked away as the splash sounded in the water. She was thankful that she was wearing sunglasses, so nobody could see how she'd been staring.

About an hour later, Emma had just turned to lay on her back, when she felt random drops of water falling on her from above. She cracked one eye open to see Killian standing over her.

"Killian, what are you doing?" She said in annoyance. "You're getting me all wet."

"I thought, Love, that I might be able to persuade you to join me for a swim? The water feels great. Besides, I might need someone to save me from man eating sharks, or something."

"How exactly am I supposed to save you from a man eating shark?"

"By allowing him to eat you, of course, so that I may escape."

"And what makes you think I wouldn't leave you to be the one eaten? We both know that I am the faster swimmer."

"Yes, but you love me. You could never leave me to the sharks."

"So what you're saying, is you could? You could leave me to be eaten?"

Killian took on a dramatic flair as he answered her. "Alas, love, you're right. I could never live without you. I guess we shall have to go to our deaths together, holding on to each other as the shark devours us. Then they shall tell our story for years to come. How our love was so strong neither one could bare to part from the other. How we were last seen clinging to each other, in the mouth of the shark, before he dove with us into the depths of the sea."

Ruby stood from where she had been laying nearby, listening to their back and forth. "You guys are weird. But don't worry, you probably both taste so nasty the shark will spit you out anyway."

Killian smirked, "Thanks, Ruby. Nice to know we have your support."

"Anytime. I think I'll go for a swim." Ruby said before jumping from the deck.

Killian held his hand out to help Emma up. "How about it love? Should we follow her lead?

"Yeah. Mary Margaret, how about you? Want to go for a swim?"

"No thanks, you guys go ahead. I'll stay here."

"Please, Mary Margaret. You don't want to be up here alone."

"Actually alone would be nice." Mary Margaret turned to lay on her stomach and brought her hands up to rest under her head. She closed her eyes and turned her head away from Emma in a show of her determination to stay right where she was.

Emma motioned to Killian to go on without her and she would follow him in a minute. She walked around and sat on the cushioned sundeck next to Mary Margaret. "Look, I know you're still mad at me, and I know things are still a little weird between you and David, but please, come swimming. It will be fun."

"I am not still mad at you, and things are not weird between me and David. I just don't want to swim. Why can't that be okay? Why can't you ever believe me?"

"Because you're a bad liar. You haven't said more than two words to me all afternoon. We both know the only time you can keep your mouth shut for that long is when you're mad."

Mary Margaret turned around and crossed her arms, irritated that her sister always seemed to know exactly how she was feeling, even when she tried to hide it. "I am not a liar, but if I was still mad at you, it would only be because you still deserve it."

"I knew you were still mad."

"I'm not mad."

"So prove it. Prove that you're not still mad at me, and that you and David are really friends. Come swimming instead of hiding up here by yourself."

Mary Margaret arose with a huff and took off her hat and bathing suit cover. "You know, you can be so annoying that sometimes, I wish I had been an only child."

"Thank goodness you're not. Imagine what a spoiled princess you would be if you were." Emma laughed as she grabbed Mary Margaret by the hand and jumped, forcing Mary Margaret in along with her.

The group spent some time floating around with inflatable tubes, lazily passing a beach ball around, until Killian suggested a game of keep away. A trio of moans from the girls signaled their decline of his invitation.

"Come on, lads against the lasses, loser has to cook dinner."

When no one gave in to his attempt at persuasion, he decided to force the issue. Diving under the water he swam towards Emma. When he reached her, he grabbed her legs and pulled her under.

She came up choking and cursing. "What the hell, Killian?" She swam toward him, intent on giving him a taste of his own medicine.

He backpedaled away from her, holding the ball over his head. "What are you doing? I thought you didn't want to play?" He teased her.

"I'll show you playing. Give me that ball." She lunged through the water towards him. Just as she reached him, he threw the ball over to Graham.

"You're gonna pay for that," Emma pointed at Killian. "Girls, let's go, game on."

The game progressed as each side managed to steal the ball from the other multiple times. With the score tied between them Killian noticed the time and called for game point. The girls had control of the ball. After several successful passes between the three of them, Emma had possession of the beach ball. Killian was moving towards her. Suddenly, he dove under the water, disappearing from sight. Emma scanned the surface nervously, looking for where he would surface. She heard him before she saw him, as he came up right next to her. In her panic, she flung the ball towards Mary Margaret with too much force, landing it several meters behind her.

Mary Margaret turned to swim for the ball. She saw out of the corner of her eye that David was headed that direction as well. She gave it all she had, reaching the ball before him. She turned and gave him a smug smile, until she realized that she was too far away to successfully throw it to any of her teammates. David was directly in front of her. Her only option was to continue swimming backwards out of his reach, and hope Ruby or Emma could get closer.

David realized her plight and a self-assured grin took over his face. He could have lunged for her and ended the game right there, but he found himself unable to pass up the opportunity to tease her a little. He moved slowly in her direction.

"What are you going to do Mary Margaret? It seems you've drifted too far away. You might as well just give up."

"You'd like that wouldn't you? Unfortunately for you, I don't give up that easily."

"I don't mind working for it. It will make the victory that much sweeter." David swept his hand across the surface of the water, splashing her good.

Mary laughed, unfazed, as she propelled herself backwards. "Is that all you've got? I'm not afraid of a little water."

David's laughter joined hers. "Seems I've heard you say that before."

At his words, Mary Margaret was pulled from the present into the memories she had tried so hard to forget.

 _It was their last date before David would unceremoniously disappear from her life. Of course she didn't know it at the time. David had taken her to one of her favorite restaurants. It was rather expensive, and she had been surprised he could afford it. They stayed at the restaurant more than three hours, lingering over drinks and dessert for as long as they could, talking about anything and everything. Their waitress had actually brought their check multiple times and they would hand it back to her and order another glass of wine. Mary Margaret hadn't even wanted the last one, she had just been loathe to end the night. Reluctantly, they finally left, leaving a rather large tip to make up for their extended stay._

 _David's truck had been parked five blocks away. They had only made it about a half a block when the light sprinkles began. About a block later the thunder sounded its warning. David just managed to pull her under the awning of a local flower shop before the downpour began in earnest. They waited about 20 minutes with no letup in sight. With a whisper in her ear that he would be right back, David left her and entered the flower shop. He was back a moment later with a single red rose in his hand._

 _Mary Margaret reached for the rose. "You are so sweet."_

 _He flashed a grin at her. "Oh this isn't for you?"_

 _Mary Margaret flushed with embarrassment as she pulled her hand back. "Oh..."_

" _It's for me."_

 _Mary Margaret was still embarrassed, but slightly confused as well. She didn't know how to respond. At her silence he pulled out the other hand, which she had failed to notice was hidden behind his back. It was holding a rather large bouquet of roses in various colors._

" _These are yours," he said with a wink._

 _She playfully slapped him in the chest. Whether the gesture was to hide her continued embarrassment or the feeling of relief that flooded her she didn't know. It was probably a little bit of both._

 _He pulled the flowers back. "Well if you don't want them."_

" _David give me those flowers." She reached out and took them and brought them to her nose, inhaling the sweet fragrance. She looked up, but suddenly struggled to meet his eyes, as shyness from his romantic gesture overtook her. "Thank you. They're beautiful."_

" _He placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You're beautiful."_

 _She swallowed at the intensity in his blue eyes, glad when he released her and she could look away for just a moment. Needing a reprieve from the emotional energy swirling within her, she inquired about his flower._

" _So you bought a flower for yourself. That's different."_

" _Well, I've heard about a game that people play using flower petals, and I thought that maybe it would be fun to try it."_

" _Oh, yeah, what kind of game?"_

 _David held the flower in his left hand. He shot her a flirty grin before reaching up with his right to pull a petal free. "He kissed her…" He pulled another petal. "He kissed her not…"_

 _Mary Margaret laughed. "That's not exactly how it goes, you know."_

" _Who's playing this game, me or you?"_

" _By all means then, continue."_

 _David continued as Mary Margaret watched. He pulled the next to the last petal. "He kissed her." He did not pluck the last petal. Instead, he look up at her, disappointment flashing in his eyes._

 _In answer, Mary Margaret reached out herself and plucked the last one. With a passionate fire burning in her emerald eyes, she whispered, "He kissed her."_

 _She barely got the words out before David's mouth enclosed around hers. It was not their first kiss. In fact, it had only been a few days before that they had nearly gotten themselves kicked out of the movie theater for making out like a couple of teenagers. But there was something different about this kiss. It felt different. This kiss felt serious. Not a solemn kind of seriousness, but rather the kind that said, this moment is significant, and we are crossing over into new territory here. It came from someplace deep within. The place where true love was born. The small fluttering that was always in her heart anytime he was near, exploded like the finale of a New Year's Eve fireworks show. That was when she realized that she, Mary Margaret Blanchard, was head-over-heels in love with David Nolan._

 _The kiss was interrupted by the owner of the flower shop stepping out to lock up for the night. After locking the doors, he turned to the couple and held out an umbrella. "My car is just across the street. Why don't you two take my umbrella?"_

 _David was reaching for the umbrella, when he felt Mary Margaret's hand grab his wrist to stop him. "That's okay, but thank you."_

 _David looked at her with a questioning expression. "Are you sure? This rain doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon."_

" _I'm not afraid of a little water." She stepped out from under the awning into the rain and held her hand out to him. "Are you?"_

 _She smiled tauntingly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. His heart did flip flops in his chest, as he took her hand and followed her into the deluge. That was the moment that he knew that she had him. He would willingly follow her into any storm._

 _The melodic sound of their laughter filled the air, as hand-in-hand they took off running for David's truck. Delightfully, they frolicked through the rain, like children. They danced and splashed through the puddles, stopping to kiss frequently. It was honestly the most fun either of them had in a long time. When they finally reached his truck, both were soaked clean through. He opened the door for her, before going around to let himself into the driver's side._

" _I'm so sorry, I don't have any towels," he said as he entered the vehicle._

" _I'm so sorry about your truck," she replied, as she noticed that already the seats were drenched from the amount of water they had carried into the vehicle with them._

" _I don't care about the car. I'm only worried about you."_

" _I'm fine, though I must look an awful mess." She attempted to wipe under her eyes, where she was sure that her mascara was smeared. Then she ran her fingers uselessly through her long black hair, which was tangled in knots._

 _He grabbed her hand and gently pulled it away from her attempts to fix herself. He took her face lovingly in his hands. "You've never looked more beautiful." And it was true. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the run through the rain, her wet hair had reverted to its naturally curly ringlets, which bounced playfully as she moved, and her green eyes glistened like the water droplets on her face._

 _As he touched her lips to his he couldn't help but notice how cold they felt. Mary Margaret shivered with desire at the tenderness of his kiss. David felt her shiver in his arms. He mistook it as a sign of her getting a chill. He released her and settled himself into the driver's seat._

" _You're cold. Let's get you home so you can get out of those wet clothes."_

 _Before he could even insert the key into the ignition, David was distracted by movement from the passenger side of the vehicle. Mary Margaret had other ideas. David Nolan had ignited a flame within her that was burning out of control._

" _Getting out of these wet clothes is a good idea." In one swift move, made all the more impressive by the fact that she was sitting in a car, she pulled her dress over her head and threw it on the floor, while crossing the center console to plop herself in David's lap. She was pretty sure she heard several threads rip on her dress, but she couldn't bring herself to care._

 _David was rendered mute by her tongue pushing itself past his teeth seeking out his own. That wasn't what had captured his focus though. One thought was on repeat throughout his head. Black lace. She was wearing black lace. He had not taken a breathe from the moment he saw it. Suddenly he was consumed by the fact that he needed air. He leaned his head back as he inhaled with a gasp. Mary Margaret reacted to the loss of his lips, by shifting her focus to his neck. He struggled to regain control of his desire for her, and the physical manifestation of those urges that was presenting itself. When he felt her hand go to the button of his jeans, he reached out to stop her. His voice croaked out a barely discernible, "No."_

 _He couldn't believe that he was doing this. He was really going to stop her. He ached with the pain of it, but his mind was made up. Three days ago, he had almost had his way with her in the back corner of a darkened theater. He'd wanted nothing more at the time. He was pretty sure, if not for the blinding flashlight, that had put a halt their elicit activities, he would have. At the time he had cursed the usher under his breath, while Mary had tickled his neck with a fit of giggles, at their being so embarrassingly caught._

 _But something had changed during their time together tonight. It wasn't that he didn't want her. He had never wanted anything more in his life. It's just that he didn't want her like this…cold, wet, and pressed against a sticky leather seat, with a gearshift sticking uncomfortably in her back. Not for their first time. Maybe another day they would continue this little scenario. Yes another day quite soon, if he had any say in it. But not today. A plan had already begun to form in his mind. A plan that included a little trip to procure a certain ring from his mother. A plan to make the first time he made love to her, the first in a lifetime of making love to her._

 _The feel of his hand pulling hers away in an effort to stop her advances, caused her to look up at him, prepared to tease him for his shyness. But the look on his face as he said no, told her that he was serious. She had certainly not expected such a reaction. She sat up straight. Humiliation and embarrassment flooded her as she scrambled to remove herself from his lap. He could tell that he had unwittingly hurt her._

" _Mary." He called her name softly, with a tone of apology. She didn't respond to him, pretending to be too focused on returning her dress right side out so she could put it back on._

" _Mary, please stop, and look at me," he begged her._

 _She had managed to get her dress back on. Refusing to allow herself to cry, she schooled her features before daring to look his way. "No, it's okay. You're right, we should get home. It is cold, and we don't want to get sick. I have that fancy reception in honor of my father to attend tomorrow evening, and you leave for boot camp in a few weeks."_

 _The drive to her house was awkward to say the least. He opened his mouth several times to explain, but nothing came out right. He could have simply told her the truth. That he wanted their first time to be a romantic moment that they could remember forever, not cramped in the seat of his old, rusty truck. That he wanted to marry her. That he planned on asking her…soon…like before he left for boot camp. But he wanted it to be a surprise, to be a moment worthy of her, so he said nothing._

 _When they arrived at her house, he turned off the car and exited his door to go around and open hers for her. She didn't wait for him though, jumping out before he could get there. He stepped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mary please don't go in like this."_

" _Like what?" She tried her best to act nonchalant._

" _Upset with me."_

" _I'm not upset with you." She lied._

 _The whole drive home, she had simply stared out the window, able to think of nothing else but how mortifying it had felt to be straddling him, wearing nothing but her best black bra and panties, and he had turned her down. This was the first time she had ever been the one to make the first move with a man. The first time she had ever had feelings strong enough to want to. She had felt him tense up whenever she had made her move. He had actually squeezed her hand hard enough to hurt when he'd asked her to stop. She had been taught that men didn't say no. Books, magazines, friends, they all said that sex was the most important thing to a man. That they almost never turned it down. That could only mean one thing. Somewhere along the way, she had miscalculated his feelings. He definitely didn't love her._

 _Though the rain had stopped, it had left a chill in the air. David rubbed his hands up and down her arms, in an attempt to warm her up._

" _Do you promise you're not mad?" He couldn't help but ask again._

 _She noticed the glistening tears in the corner of his eyes at the thought that she would be upset with him. Nobody could say that David Nolan wasn't an honorable man. Her heart softened. How could she stay mad at him? She supposed she should be grateful that he hadn't taken advantage of her. She looked at him shyly and shook her head indicating her promise._

 _He leaned down to kiss her. She had made up her mind on the drive home, to resist if he tried to kiss her goodnight. Now she found herself unable to fight her feelings, as the warmth of his lips covered hers. It was a very gentle, yet passionate kiss. Confusion flowed within her. Why push away her advances earlier, but kiss her goodnight like this? Was he one of those men who was so driven by ego, that although he had decided that he didn't want her, he still needed her to want him?_

" _I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7pm, to escort you to the governors reception? That is if I'm still invited." He asked hesitantly, afraid she might have changed her mind about the invitation, and tell him no. He had certainly made a mess of things tonight, but he planned on fixing it soon. By this time tomorrow he decided, he would be asking her to marry him._

 _Tell him no, her bruised pride screamed at her. "Of course, you're still invited. I'll see you then," she nodded affirmatively before turning to make her way inside the house. She didn't know whether to kick herself for being so stupid, or to let herself have hope at the smile he gave her. She did not understand this man at all. Maybe things would be clearer tomorrow._

That had been the last time she had seen him, until this weekend, nearly two years later.

The sounds of the boys whooping as David successfully plucked the ball from her grasp brought Mary Margaret's mind rushing back into the present. She could vaguely hear as Emma berated her for losing the game, but suddenly she cared only about getting out of the water, and as far away from David Nolan as she could.

"Sorry guys." She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. "I will go ahead and get dinner started, since I lost us the game. You guys can stay here."

"You don't have to do that," Emma said, starting to swim for the boat as well.

Mary Margaret insisted. "No, seriously, I want to. Besides, Emma, we all know that you can't actually cook.

Emma acted as if she was offended at Mary Margaret's remarks, but her sister knew that secretly she was relieved. Killian apparently was too, as he began sharing with the others about a disastrous recent attempt of Emma's at cooking him a romantic dinner. Mary Margaret took advantage of the distraction to head for the boat. She could feel David's eyes on her, and it felt as if everything was crashing down on her again. She still remembered so clearly the moment that her heart broke. The moment that she realized that love could bring indescribable joy, but it could also bring indescribable pain. The moment that she had decided that it was better to make decisions with her head than with her heart.

The memory of that pain strengthened Mary Margaret's resolve that marrying Frank was the right thing. He was a good man, with grand dreams of really making a difference in the world. Maybe Frank was lying to her about those girls, but she was sure that once they were married that would all stop. Her daddy would see to that, and Frank's career was too important to him to chance making an enemy of her father. Most importantly Frank felt safe. No matter what he did he would never be able to hurt her as much as David had. Frank had her loyalty and her fidelity, but he didn't have her heart. That was a mistake she wouldn't make again.


	4. Emma's Plan Revealed

**Emma's Plan Revealed**

Dinner was a quiet affair. The change between Mary Margaret and David was obvious to everyone. Killian and Emma insisted on doing the dishes. Really they just wanted an excuse to get away from the tension that hung heavy in the air, no matter how much everybody tried to cover it up with small talk.

Shortly after they left, Mary Margaret excused herself as well. She had never suffered from claustrophobia, but she imagined it must feel similar to this. She felt dizzy and disoriented, like she might pass out any minute. She was doing the mechanics of breathing. Her chest was expanding and extracting, but it was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the atmosphere. She wondered if maybe she was getting seasick. She hoped they would head back soon. She wanted off this boat, and away from David. She crossed to the back of the boat and climbed up on the rear deck railing, kicking her feet over the side. It was as close to being off the boat as she could get. The light headedness had dissipated and she had been enjoying the quiet sound of the waves lapping against the side of the boat when she was startled by the sound of his voice.

"Want to talk about it?"

She wondered if she ignored him, he would go away.

"About what?"

"Whatever your thinking about that has you off by yourself?"

"I'm not thinking about anything. I'm just enjoying the quiet."

"You know it's dangerous to sit like that, with your feet dangling over the edge. You're liable to fall in," he warned her.

She didn't even try to keep her annoyance out of her voice. "I'm a big girl, David. I think I can sit here without falling in. Besides, the boat isn't even moving."

David hopped up next to her on the railing, but sat facing the opposite way. He leaned back slightly, a smile on his face, attempting to get her to look at him. "A little feisty tonight, aren't we?" He teased.

"David, can you please just go?" Why didn't he understand that she couldn't do this? She couldn't sit here next to him and act like he hadn't broken her heart. That what they had together, even if it was short-lived, meant nothing. That he hadn't left her so broken, she had barely managed to put the pieces back together. That even though it had been two years, that the glue was still fresh enough, that she felt on the verge of falling back apart.

David sat there silently watching her. He should leave, like she requested, but he was so drawn to her. He was trying his hardest to just be her friend. Trying to pretend it wasn't killing him to be this close to her and not be able to touch her, or take her in his arms, or kiss her.

He broke the silence first. "Look, Emma and Killian went up to the bridge, saying they were going to go enjoy the sunset, and then we would head back. Their absence left me alone on the deck with Graham and Ruby. It was awkward to say the least. I could tell they wanted to be alone, so here I am."

She didn't respond to him.

"We agreed to be friends, remember?"

She looked like cornered prey as she replied back to him. "I can't. I can't be friends with you. I thought I could, but-" Mary Margaret's voice was cut off by the sound of a motor boat approaching.

Emma stood up quickly, from where she and Killian had been sitting together. At the sight of the approaching boat, guilt and second thoughts overwhelmed her. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. After what happened between her and Mary Margaret this morning she should have called the whole thing off. Now it was probably too late, but she had to try.

"Killian, get up. Hurry, you have to get us out of here now!"

"Why? What is it?" Killian asked, as he immediately did as Emma requested and fired up the engine.

"It's the press, trying to get a picture of Mary Margaret and David together. We have to outrun them. I promised my sister there would be no more trouble."

"She can't be mad at you, love. It's not your fault that they managed to find her here."

Emma lowered her head, as she shot him a look that told him she may not be as innocent as he thought.

"Swan, what did you do?"

"I might have made some phone calls."

"Emma, are you crazy? Why would you do that?"

"It was this morning, before we left. I was trying to help my sister, but I guess I wasn't thinking straight. Can you just get us out of here now?"

The boat was headed directly for them. Emma could see the photographer perched on the bow, already taking pictures. Killian got the anchor up as quickly as he could before shoving it to full throttle. The boat jerked forward. At the same time he made a full turn to port, away from the boat as if was trying to come up beside them. The camera man shifted his focus away from the couple he had been photographing. He scampered back to take a seat next to the driver and motioned for him to give chase. In the distraction of the ensuing chase, nobody noticed the drama playing out on the back of Killian's boat.

When Mary Margaret noticed the boat that was coming towards them, she stopped talking and looked up. It didn't take long for her to realize that someone was up front with a large zoom lens taking photos. Without thinking, she stood up and quickly moved to climb back over the rail. Killian had chosen just that moment to propel the boat forward. The momentum knocked her backwards, and she lost her grip on the rail. David recognized too late what was happening. He tried unsuccessfully to grab her before she fell. The sight of her hitting the water brought him into action. He turned and yelled for help, not sure if in the commotion, anyone had actually heard him. He spent about 2 seconds contemplating going to grab Graham for help, but with the rate at which they were speeding away from Mary Margaret, he knew he didn't have time. He couldn't lose her.

He jumped into the water. It felt like it took him forever to surface, though it couldn't have been but a few seconds. He scanned across the water looking for her. The sun had already begun to descend in the sky, and he knew nightfall wouldn't be far behind. The lack of light was already beginning to impede his vision.

"Mary Margaret!" He yelled her name as he swam in the direction he had last seen her.

"Mary Margaret, where are you? Can you hear me?" He called out frantically. He stopped to get his bearings, dog paddling in circles as he looked for any sign of her.

He heard the splashing seconds before he saw her. She was struggling he could tell, fighting to keep her head above water. He was pretty sure that he had never moved so fast in his life. Not even during the swimming drills of his military training. By the time he reached her his heart was pounding. He wrapped his arms around her waist, as she grabbed onto his shirt, gripping it in her fist.

"It's going to be okay. I found you." He hugged her tighter, repeating the words over again. "I found you."

She placed her head on his shoulder and relaxed into him like a cocoon of safety. She was a good swimmer, but the plunge into the water had caught her off guard, frightening her. The fall had been far enough that the impact of the water had momentarily taken her breath away. In the ensuing struggle to regain it, she had swallowed an excessive amount of salt water. She could feel her chest burning with it.

David held her there in his arms, thankful beyond measure that she was safe. The boat was nowhere to be seen, so he could only assume that they had not noticed Mary Margaret's fall overboard. He wondered how long it would take them to realize they were gone. Hopefully before they made it all the way back to the marina. It would be dark soon, making spotting them in the water a difficult prospect. The water was also a good bit colder than it had been when they'd been swimming earlier, in the heat of the afternoon sun.

His military training began to take over, as he began to formulate a plan of action. He decided he needed to get them out of the water. He knew they had been anchored near a small set of uninhabited islands, he just had to figure out which direction they were. Squinting across the horizon, he finally saw the distinct outline of trees.

"Mary Margaret?" He lifted her from his shoulder, worried for a moment, until he heard her voice softly answer.

"You saved me." She sounded almost incredulous that he was willing to come to her rescue.

He was slightly hurt, that she would think it would even be an option for him to not jump in after her. "Well, it was the honorable thing to do."

"Always so charming, aren't you?" Even in the fading light, he could see that she was smiling at him.

That smile pulled at his heart. He wanted so much to kiss her right now, but he knew he couldn't give in to those feelings. He loosened his hold on her, and pushed her slightly away. She's not mine, he reminded himself. She has a fiancé.

"Mary Margaret, I don't think that Killian and Emma have realized that we aren't on the boat anymore."

"They'll figure it out eventually. They'll come back for us."

"Yes, but it's almost dark. It will be hard to see us, and depending on how far they got before they noticed, they may not even know where to begin looking. We need to try and make it to those islands over there. We'll have a better chance of them finding us there. And we can dry off and get warm. Are you okay to swim? Do you think you can make it?"

"Yes, I can make it," she said, her voice still raspy from coughing up the salty sea water.

"Okay." David pointed in the direction they were going. "See those trees? You can just barely make them out if you look really hard. That's where we are going. Can you see them?"

"Yes, I got it."

"I'm going to keep my eye trained on those trees to make sure that we swim straight and don't lose our way in the dark. Your job is to keep your eye on me, and follow me. I need you talk to me, so I know where you are. So we don't lose each other."

David kicked his legs and started moving towards their destination. "Come on Mary Margaret. We are just going to take it slow and easy." He could hear the splash of the water as she began to swim with him. "Good girl…now talk to me."

"I don't know what to talk about?"

"It doesn't matter, tell me anything. Tell me about your fiancé."

He regretted it the second the words were out of his mouth. The last thing he wanted to hear about was the man to whom she had given her heart. Not when he still desperately wished that it was him she was vowing to have and to hold. Then again, maybe this was for the best. Maybe talking about it would be the best way to get his mind to finally let her go. Then maybe he could move on, like all of his friends kept insisting he should.

"His name is Frank Steinman. I've known him since I was ten and he was sixteen. It's funny, I distinctly remember not liking him very much back then. He used to call me little M&M's and pat me on the head all the time. I hated it. I was also jealous of his relationship with my father. He interned with him when he was governor, and then later volunteered during his campaign for Vice President. They became very close, and he often spent holidays with our family. Emma and I were never very interested in politics, so I guess you could say he's like the son my father never really had. My father was so excited when we told him that we were getting married."

David's heart clinched in his chest as she said that. Of course her father was excited. It had always been part of his plan. Frank was practically family, and he was following in her father's political footsteps. David was the son of an alcoholic father, raised in poverty by a single mother.

He had worked at an animal shelter during high school, and briefly considered a career as a vet. He couldn't afford college though, so he had spent a couple of years just drifting, working odd jobs here and there. He fell in with the wrong crowd and got into some minor trouble involving alcohol and vandalism. Determined not to follow in his father's footsteps, he eventually decided to straighten up his act and join the military. He would never have earned Leo Blanchard's approval.

Oblivious to David's thoughts, Mary continued on. "After Frank graduated from University, my father had helped him secure a job within the Governor's staff, but he had bigger aspirations. He moved to Washington, D.C., to take a position as a legislative aide to the U.S. senate. His ultimate goal is to secure the experience necessary to run for the senate himself. He comes home as much as he can, but us being apart is still hard. I think that has caused a lot of the problems and misunderstandings that we've had. Once we are married and living there together, I know that things will be much better."

David and Mary Margaret kept swimming, the sound of her voice almost like a metronome creating a rhythm for their strokes. They were close enough now to see the distinct shape of land jutting from the surface of the water in front of them. David tried to focus on that, and not how the description of her future life didn't seem to fit the Mary Margaret that David knew. She would no longer work as a teacher. A politician's wife would be her role now. Her husband wanted her at his side, supporting him. Hosting parties and planning charity events would take up too much time to leave room for teaching. Frank had assured her that together they would work for better education. He would make it a platform of his campaign. Once Frank had successfully established himself, and with her father's name added to the mix, she would be able to have a greater impact on education than she ever could as a teacher. That's what Frank had told her.

David wanted to tell her how important her work already was. That she had never been just a teacher. He had seen her passion for her job. He had seen how much she loved her "kids". He knew how excited and proud she got when they were successful. It was as if they were her own. She may not have been impacting the state of education, but she was impacting individual lives. Most of all, he wanted to tell her how he felt about her. He wanted to ask her if he had been mistaken to think that she had felt the same. Instead, he used his pent up emotions to surge harder towards the shoreline.

Mary Margaret had been swimming for a good while now on nothing but adrenaline. She didn't understand where Emma was. She and David had thought a couple of times that they had heard a boat motor, but none ever came. As soon as she discovered they were shallow enough that her feet could touch the bottom, any residual energy seemed to leave her. Her arms and legs ached. She wasn't sure if the burning in her throat was from her continued talking, or the amount of sea water she had swallowed in the past hour. She literally crawled the last few feet to shore, before collapsing on the sand.

David immediately went to her. "You did good Mary Margaret. We made it. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, just tired. I didn't realize how much until we made it to shore."

David helped her to move up further onto the beach and out of the waves. He noticed her shiver and realized that the ocean breeze had picked up.

"I'm going to see if I can build a fire. It will help us dry off and warm up. Hopefully, it will also draw the attention of our friends. I'm sure they are looking for us by now."

Mary Margaret shook her head at David, as she hugged her knees to her chest in an effort to warm herself. David stood up and began looking around for what he could use to make a fire. The island appeared to be currently unoccupied, but there was trash and other signs that people occasionally either camped or hung out here. He found a spot just a ways down the beach, where it was obvious someone had made a campfire recently. He added several small pieces of dry kindling to the half burned logs. It didn't take long for him to find a suitable stick and a piece of split bamboo, suitable for making a bamboo fire saw. He then gathered some dry moss and grass to use as tinder. It took several tries, rubbing the wood together to create heat and blowing to help it along, but he finally got the tinder to light. Before long the flames were licking at the kindling, growing stronger every moment.

David looked up to see that Mary Margaret had joined him at the fire. "I'm impressed," she said as she stretched her hands out to the warmth of the fire.

"Military survival training can come in handy. Although I never would have guessed it was because I jumped off a boat that was being chased by paparazzi."

"Well, I'm glad you did, so thank you. I wouldn't want to be out here alone."

"I can't help but think that I should've told Emma and Killian that you fell overboard, instead of jumping in after you. Then you'd be home in your bed right now, instead of wet and cold on a deserted island."

"I'm sure that they are looking for us right now, and with this fire, it won't take them long to find us."

The two of them stood by the fire, letting the heat warm their bodies and dry their clothes. They kept an eye out for any approaching vessels. David had been certain at one point that he had seen a spotlight sweep across the waters, but nothing had come of it.

Mary Margaret couldn't hold back her yawn. "I don't understand why they haven't come for us. What time do you think it is?"

David's watch was water resistant, but apparently that didn't include being submerged in salty ocean water for over an hour. "My watch stopped working at 7:15. That was probably close to three or four hours ago."

"Four hours! Where in the world is Emma? You don't think something happened to them do you? Maybe they were involved in an accident with that crazy photographer?"

David reached out and touched her arm in an effort to comfort her. "I am sure they are fine. It's going to be hard to search in the dark, but we have a fire now. That will help. It may take a little bit longer than we anticipated, but they will find us. Okay?"

Mary Margaret bit her lip and shook her head. "Okay."

David squeezed her arm before releasing it. He took his shirt off and spread it out on the sand. "Here, I know you're tired. Why don't you sit down? Or better yet, lay down and try and get some sleep. I will keep watch and keep the fire going."

She looked at him incredulously. "Do you honestly think I could fall asleep?"

"Well maybe not, but how about at least try to rest? I'll sit here and you can lay your head on me." David sat down on one corner of the shirt, and patted the spot next to it.

She hesitated for just a minute, before finally giving in and lowering herself onto David's shirt. She curled into a ball on her side, and laid her head down, using David's thigh as a pillow. In spite of her protests, it didn't take long for her to lose the fight to stay awake. David noticed when her breathing even out, and knew that she had fallen asleep. He protectively placed a hand on her shoulder, as he searched the darkness for any sign of an approaching boat. The boat had been anchored less then forty minutes from the marina. Killian was skilled captain, he would have known where to look for them. Even factoring in the darkness, they should have found them by now. Although he had been quick to reassure Mary Margaret that everything was alright, he couldn't help but think something was wrong.


	5. Emma's Plan: Take 2

**Emma's Plan: Take 2**

The boat containing the paparazzi had failed to notice the fate that had befallen Mary Margaret. They continued to relentlessly follow Killian as he zigzagged across the bay. They were in a much smaller boat, which allowed them to successfully maneuver several times around Killian. The photographer had his camera out, but did not appear to be taking any pictures. Emma hoped that was because Mary Margaret, and the others, had escaped below deck.

When Killian finally turned into the marina, the other boat continued to go straight and disappeared up the coastline. Killian slowed the boat down and settled into an open boat slip. As soon as the boat came to a stop, Emma raced down the ladder to the deck, Killian on her heels. She made it to the steps leading below deck just as Ruby and Graham appeared from where they had been hanging out inside the cabin.

"What in the world is going on?" Ruby asked, as she held on tight to the stair railing. She was feeling slightly queasy from the wild ride she had just experienced.

"The paparazzi were chasing us, trying to take pictures," Emma said, giving Ruby a knowing look."

"So that explains the vomit inducing boat ride," Ruby said, pretending she knew nothing about it. She was still feeling a little green around the gills.

"Where is Mary Margaret?" Emma questioned, as she pushed her way around Ruby. She called out for her sister, as she searched below deck. She didn't find her.

Graham looked at Killian. "What does she mean, where is Mary Margaret? She was out here with you guys."

"She was," Killian agreed, "but we assumed that she would have come down here once the press arrived on the scene, taking pictures."

"Mary Margaret answer me!" Emma appeared on deck, looking rather frazzled. She looked at Killian, fear and desperation evident in her eyes. "She and David are not down there."

"Well, they're not out here either," he answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Emma, it's not that big of a boat. They are not here, so you need to tell me who that was and what exactly is going on?"

"My sister is missing, that's what's going on!" Emma began to move frantically around the boat, still searching, unwilling to face the likelihood that Mary was lost somewhere out there in the ocean.

Killian grabbed her by the arms to stop her. "Emma you need to calm down if you want to find Mary Margaret and David. Now let's start from the beginning. Who were those people, and how did they know where to find us."

Tears started to fall as Emma began to explain to Killian what she had done. "I was just so mad at my sister's jerk of a fiancé. I mean, not only does he allow himself to be photographed cheating on her, but then those damn photographers sneak in and get a picture of Mary Margaret crying over it. I thought maybe it would serve him right to give him a taste of his own medicine. I wondered what he would think of the idea that Mary was spending the day with an old boyfriend. I called a friend of mine at the paper and let him know our plans for the day. I suggested he might find it worth his while to take some pictures around sunset. I figured that Mary Margaret and David would be unable to resist the obvious magnetic attraction that they have between them."

Killian let go and took a step back from Emma. "So Mary Margaret was right all along. The two of you were actually hoping that Mary Margaret would hook up with David. And on top of that you planned to take pictures?"

"No," Ruby was quick to respond. "We didn't expect the two of them to actually cheat. We just wanted to get them close enough to make it look like it. We hoped that Frank would get jealous and not be quite as forgiving as Mary Margaret has always been. Then maybe she would see his true colors and call off this ridiculous wedding."

"Look," Emma interrupted, "the only thing that matters right now, is what happened to my sister. How could she and David just disappear?"

Graham stepped forward from where he had been quietly listening in the background. "The last time that Ruby and I saw them was just before we decided to go below deck. Mary Margaret was sitting on top of the railing at the stern of the ship, and David had gone to join her."

Emma looked up in panic. "You think that they fell off the boat?"

Graham shook his head. "It's the only probable explanation."

"What have I done?" Emma whispered, on the verge of tears.

Killian reached for her and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around her as he tried his best to comfort her. "Don't worry, Swan. We shall find them."

"Killian, it's already dark, and we have no idea where they are."

"We know the general area where they must have fallen off. It won't take us long to find them. And don't forget, Dave is trained for survival in the worst of conditions. He will know what to do to keep them safe until we do."

Killian turned to Graham, "There is a locker in the cabin down below with an emergency spotlight. There should also be flashlights, and flares. I'm going to take the helm, and drive us back to the spot where we last know they were on the boat. I'll leave the three of you to man those and scour the water for any signs of them."

With everyone assigned a role, they began the task of searching the water for Mary Margaret and David. Killian moved slowly and methodically in a grid pattern as the rest of his crew panned their lights back and forth across the water. All was quiet, except for the lapping of the waves against the boat, and the occasional sound as one of them would shout out for Mary Margaret and David.

Graham moved up to beside Killian. "Don't you think it's time that we send out a mayday? We need to contact the authorities."

Killian looked over at Emma. She was kneeling down at the front of the boat, slowly moving her light back and forth across the water. She looked desperate and possibly in a state of shock. If he called someone in, Mr. Blanchard would no doubt find out. Emma would be forced to face her father. He was torn between his need to protect Emma, and the safety of David and Mary Margaret. He knew which he had to choose, but he was going to hold off as long as he could.

He turned to Graham. "Let's give it another half hour. If we haven't found them we will call." Graham shook his head and returned to his search.

Killian checked his watch realizing that it had been close to three hours since they had discovered Mary Margaret and David to be missing. He knew that David would not have waited long before deciding to try and swim to land. The only problem was which direction would they have gone. This area of the bay was surrounded by dozens of small islands. He tried to make out any signs of land off in the distance. When he first saw the distinctive orange flicker, he was afraid that his eyes might be deceiving him. That the dancing flames could be just a mirage, made up by a mind desperately seeking hope. He grabbed for his binoculars, waiting to say anything to Emma until he was certain.

Upon hearing Killian call her name, Emma rushed up to the bridge. Meanwhile, Killian increased his speed and steered in the direction of what he now knew was a campfire, burning on the beach of an Island not far from them. When Emma arrived, Killian handed her the binoculars and pointed out the fire burning in the distance. Emma looked through the binoculars, and adjusted the focus, eager to see the frame of her sister in the lens.

As they got closer, Emma could just make out the shape of a body, sitting on the shore, near the fire. Wait, no, it was two bodies. Two bodies in close proximity, actually very close proximity. A small smile crossed her face as a new plan began to take shape in her mind. Emma reached out and pulled the throttle back, bringing the boat to a halt.

"Swan, what are you doing? Why are you stopping us?"

"Look." Emma handed Killian the binoculars back. He looked through them. The light from the campfire allowed him to very clearly see that it was indeed David and Mary Margaret huddled up together on the shore.

"We did it, Swan. We found them." Killian placed his hand on the throttle in an attempt to push it forward again. Emma grabbed his hand to stop him. Ruby, followed by Graham, appeared at the top of the ladder leading to the bridge.

"What's going on?" Graham asked. "Is that a fire? Is that them?"

Emma took the binoculars from Killian and handed them to Ruby. Ruby took several minutes to look through them, before meeting Emma's gaze. "Well, that's an interesting development."

"I was thinking the same thing," Emma agreed.

Killian was losing his patience. "What is an interesting development? Emma, we need to go and rescue your sister."

Emma looked at Killian and cocked her head slightly. "Yes, you're right Killian. We need to rescue my sister. That is why I'm going to ask you to trust me, and quietly turn the boat around and go back to the marina."

"Are you saying that you want me to leave David and Mary Margaret out here alone? Bloody hell, Emma. Are you insane?"

"Killian, listen to me. My sister is about to make the worst mistake of her life, and this is my one chance to change that. Frank is only marrying my sister for her name and for my father's political influence, I know it. He doesn't truly love her. And the truth is that she doesn't really love him either."

"So you're going to what? Leave them to perish on this Island?

"Oh Killian, stop being so dramatic, nobody's perishing."

"Maybe not, but this is too much. I may not know much about matters of the heart but trying to push your sister into having an affair to break off her engagement…that's bad form, Swan.

"That's not what I'm trying to do here. This isn't about a physical relationship. This is about love the heart."

Ruby spoke up in an effort to help Emma. "David Nolan loves Mary Margaret, and although she may not be willing to admit it, but Mary Margaret loves him. If they are forced to spend time together, to look to each other for survival…"

"They'll finally realize how much they care for each other. They'll discover that what they have is true love." Emma finished for her. "How is that bad form, Killian? Saving Mary Margaret from a bad marriage, and getting her to follow her heart?

Killian rubbed his head with his hand, trying to ward off the headache that always seemed to accompany Emma's plans. If he were not in charge of operating the boat, he would have been tempted to reach for his flask of rum. Instead he looked over at Graham asking for his input.

"I'm not saying that I support this plan, but I can tell you that Ruby is right. David Nolan is desperately in love with Mary Margaret. I'm not sure what happened to break them up. David refuses to talk about it. What I do know is that in the two years I've known him, he's hardly looked at another girl, even when they throw themselves at him. Their time apart hasn't caused his feelings for her to lessen, even a little bit."

"And you said yourself, Killian, David knows how to survive in these kind of situations. It's what the military has trained him to do. No harm will come to them," Emma said with great certainty.

Killian cursed under his breath before addressing the group. "I hope the three of you are prepared to face the consequences when this outrageous plan of yours backfires on us."

He moved to face the wheel and slowly turned the boat around to head back to port. They watched as the orange flames from the beach faded into the darkness. When they were no longer visible he addressed Emma, with just a hint of humor in his tone. "Well, congratulations, Love. I believe the most fearsome of pirates are often known for marooning people on Islands. You have now succeeded in turning me into the pirate your father already thinks I am."

Emma reached up and placed her arms around the back of his neck. "Yes, but you're my pirate and I love you." She pulled him down to her, and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

When she released him, Killian cocked his eyebrow at her. "Is that all your sister's heart is worth to you? I dare say, that a less hasty form of gratitude is in order."

Emma glanced from the corner of her eye to see that Ruby and Graham had exited back to the lower level of the boat, safely out of view. She grabbed Killian's collar roughly, and fervently kissed him, in a steamy demonstration of just how thankful she was for her pirate.


	6. Late Consequences

**Late Consequences**

Hours passed as David sat on the beach trying not worry and create scenarios about why they hadn't been rescued yet. He kept his eyes and ears open, looking intently for the sight or sound of a boat moving in the water, but none came. He stifled a yawn. The sounds he did hear were threatening to lull him to sleep. Sounds like, the waves making their way up and back across the sand, the ocean breeze rustling through the trees, the gentle breathing of Mary Margaret.

He watched her sleeping. Her beauty was almost ethereal. The luminescent glow of the fire, giving her pale skin a warm golden blush. A tiny curl from her hair had fallen over her eye. He ran his finger gently across her face to push it out of the way. She had cut her hair at some point in the two years he'd been gone. He had loved her long unruly curls, but this pixie cut suited her too. It fit the dichotomy and depth of her personality. Effervescent and fiery one moment, incredibly shy and gentle the next. Most guys might have considered her difficult to figure out, but he had loved her even more for it.

He thought back over their time together and wondered how it had all gone so incredibly wrong. He had been so certain that she had loved him. That they belonged together. Soulmates, two halves of a whole, true loves…whatever the world wanted to call it, she was it for him. Until the moment he was left picking his crushed heart up off the ground. He often wondered if things would have gone differently for the two of them if not for the circumstances of that day. Or did things happen for a reason, and he was lucky to have found out the truth before making an even bigger fool of himself.

He could still remember the details of that night as clearly as if they had happened two days ago, not two years ago.

He had known she was upset as he had watched her walk into her house after that final date, but she had still left him with hope. He would see her the following night, and he would make sure it was a night the two of them would never forget. A night to make up for the mess he had made.

He had gone straight from her house to his apartment. He quickly packed an overnight bag and made a cup of coffee before getting back in his truck. It was late. He briefly considered waiting until morning to leave, and trying to get a few hours sleep. Truthfully, he doubted if he'd be able to sleep. Thoughts of Mary Margaret would have likely kept him up all night anyway.

It was a three hour drive from the city, to the small farm where he had grown up. He called his mother from the road to tell her that he was on his way home. He couldn't contain his excitement as he explained the reason for his late night trip. He told her all about the wonderful, amazing, woman that he wanted to give her ring. He briefly wondered if Mary Margaret would like the simple ring. It wasn't a fancy diamond, and her family came from money. He pushed those thoughts aside. Even if he had been able to afford a better ring, he wanted her to wear this one. It had meant so much to his mother for him to have it. So that he could one day give to the girl who captured his heart. They had been drowning in debt most of his childhood. At one point, they had been about to lose the farm, but even then, she had refused to sell it. It was the one thing that they owned of any value, and she was determined to keep it for David. Rather than sell the ring, she had taken on extra work, staying up late into the night, sewing and doing other people's laundry, to save the farm. David hoped when Mary Margaret heard the story, she would come to love and appreciate that ring as much as he did.

After assuring his mother that there was no need to wait up for him, that he would see her in the morning, he hung up. He placed his phone on the seat next to him and settled in for the drive. It was a quiet drive through the winding country roads. There was almost no traffic to speak of. He was surprised when the first vestiges of sleep hit him. He had been sure the adrenaline would push him through the night. He still had about an hour to go. He rolled down the window hoping the cool breeze would reinvigorate him. The last thing he remembered was drumming on the steering wheel and singing along with the radio before the sound of a horn blasted.

It all happened so fast…the horn…the blinding lights directly in his path. He wasn't sure whether it was him, or the other vehicle, who had crossed the line into the wrong lane. He had no time to think, or process what was happening, as he slammed on the brakes and jerked the wheel on instinct. The sound of crunching metal and breaking glass came, but it felt unreal, as if it was part of a dream. The odd sensation that he was tumbling in space overwhelmed him. There was a brief moment of pain, before there was nothing but black.

The first thing he was aware of was the incessant steady beeping, and the feeling that his head might explode. He was laying on a bed somewhere. He tried to open his eyes, to move his limbs, but everything felt so heavy. Slowly, the memories crept back through his mind, until one name jarred him into action.

Mary Margaret. He jerked up stiffly, ignoring the searing pain that went through his body. He was forced to close his eyes at the brightness of the lights. He fumbled frantically at the sheets, trying to free himself. His only thought was her, on getting to her.

He felt a hand on his arm, and with it the gentleness of his mother's voice. "David, honey, you need to calm down. You've been in a car accident. You're going to hurt yourself. I need you to lay back down, while I get the doctor."

David forced his eyes back open and grabbed his mother's arms. "Mary Margaret? Where is she?"

"She wasn't with you son. You were by yourself. You managed to swerve and keep from hitting the other car, but you rolled your truck."

That's right. He remembered now. The ring. He was on his way to get the ring. Mary Margaret was safe. She was at home. He was meeting her tonight. He was asking her to marry him.

"What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock."

He shuddered in relief as he laid back down. He had time. It was going to be okay. He looked at his mother. "So what do we have to do to get me out of here? I have a date to get to and I can't be late."

His mother looked at him sympathetically before pushing the call button to inform the medical staff that her son was awake.

A medical assistant came in and took his vitals before the doctor entered the room a short time later. "You're quite the lucky man," he observed, as he looked over his chart. "A couple of broken ribs and some bruising from the seatbelt. A sprained wrist, and a few cuts on your face, from the broken windshield, including one on your chin that required a few stitches. It's likely to scar."

"Great," David said with relief. "When can I get out of here?"

"You had quite a bump on the head. I'd like to keep you here under observation for 24 hours, just to make sure you don't have a more serious head injury going on."

"What! No way. I have plans tonight. Important plans. I have to get out of here."

"Mr. Nolan, I'm afraid that's impossible. You have a head injury, and were asleep for more than 12 hours. I can't release you."

David's heart rate increased as panicked confusion overtook him. "What are you talking about?" He looked at his mother. "You told me it was only seven o'clock."

His mother placed her hand on his face, "It's seven o'clock in the evening, son."

"What? That can't be" He pushed his mother's hand away and jumped out of bed, hissing at the pain in his ribs, but refusing to let that deter him. "I need to go. I'm late. I was supposed to pick her up at seven. I was going to meet her family tonight. Where are my clothes?"

The doctor spoke up, insistent. "Mr. Nolan, you are not going anywhere. You are injured."

"You said yourself it was a only a couple of cracked ribs and bruises. You can't keep me here against my will."

"I refuse to sign off on your release papers."

"That's okay. I'm checking myself out." David moved desperately around the room, ignoring the doctor and his mother. "Where the hell are my clothes?"

"Mr. Nolan, you came into the emergency room unconscious. We had to cut them off of you."

David only hesitated for a second, before shrugging his shoulders. "I guess I'll have to wear this. My tux is at my apartment. I need to get it anyway. I need my phone too, so I can call Mary Margaret. Let her know what happened. Let her know I'm still coming. Where is my truck?"

Ruth stepped in front of him, forcing him to pay attention to her. "Son, do you hear yourself? Your talking crazy. You're wearing a hospital gown. Your truck is at Tillman's garage. You rolled it. It's totaled son. You can't drive it."

"Then I'll borrow your car."

Ruth Nolan looked to the doctor, pleading for him to stop this.

"I can't stop him from leaving. I can note that he checked himself out against medical advice, but that's the best I can do."

David opened the door to the room. "Let's go mom, we have to hurry. Did you bring my ring?"

Ruth grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him forcefully to her, shocking David by her strength. "Listen to me. I am not giving you the keys to my car. You can call Mary Margaret. You can tell her what happened. If she's anything like you describe, she'll understand. In fact, if you take off like this just to get to her and she finds out about it, I have a feeling she won't think you're a hopeless romantic, she'll just think your an idiot."

By the time Ruth had finished she was on the verge of crying. David relented at his mother's words and the sight of her tears. He reluctantly made his way back to the hospital bed. His hoped that his mother was right about Mary Margaret, but he couldn't help but think about how this would be the second night in a row he ruined for her.

"Where's my phone, so I can call her?

The doctor pointed to a small cabinet. "We put the items you had when you came in, in there. Now that things are calmed down, I will see about setting up that cat scan. You should probably try to eat something. I will tell the nurse to get some dinner brought in."

The doctor exited, as Ruth went to the cabinet and retrieved a bag containing David's belongings. She opened it, pulling out his shoes, and his wallet, before finding his phone at the bottom of the bag. She gingerly pulled the phone out, careful to not cut herself. The phone screen was completely shattered, and a corner of the glass was completely gone. She's not sure why they had even kept it.

David grabbed it from her, not even making an effort to be careful about the possibility of cutting himself on the broken shards. He attempted to turn it on, but the screen remained black. Tears filled his eyes, as he flung the phone across the room and into the wall. The pieces of glass that had managed to remain intact from the force car accident did not survive the impact with the wall.

Ruth pulled her phone from her purse and handed it to her son. "It's okay, you can call her on mine. I know she won't recognize the number, but if you leave a message and keep calling, I'm sure that she will answer. I'll clean up this mess and then give you some privacy."

Ruth left the room shortly after and found a vending machine to get herself a cup of coffee. She glanced briefly through a magazine in the waiting room before venturing back into David's hospital room. It appeared that he hadn't moved since she left. The phone was still in his hand, and tears were flowing down his cheeks.

"David, what's wrong? Did you tell her what happened? Surely she understood. Is she coming to the hospital?"

David didn't look up at her, just continued to stare at the phone. He looked so lost, his voice cracking as he finally spoke. "I can't call her. I don't know her number."

"What do you mean, you don't know her number? Are you telling me that you're seriously considering asking a girl to marry you, and you don't even know her phone number?"

"Current phone technology was probably beyond his mother's understanding, but he tried to explain it to her anyway. It was in my phone, under her name. I didn't memorize the number. I didn't even put it in there myself. Her friend Ruby did."

He couldn't help but think about that day. He had been hanging out at a local bar with a few friends, when Mary Margaret's friend Ruby grabbed his phone from his hand. She had said she was tired of the incessant flirting between the two of them, and somebody needed to make the first move. And since it didn't appear that it was going to be either of them, she would do it. She had put Mary Margaret's number in his phone before handing it back to him with the command that he call her and ask her out…sooner rather than later. It had been rather embarrassing for the both of them, as their friends began discussing their apparently less than discreet way of making eyes at each other, and pretending to accidentally touch all the time. Mary Margaret had turned completely red, and berated her friend for being a busybody, and insisted she and David were just friends. But when she had finally braved a glance his way, her smile was unmistakable. He had called her about five minutes after getting home that night.

He looked up and met his mother's eyes. "That's why I can't call her. What am I going to do?"

Ruth saw the heartbroken expression in his eyes, and her own mother's heart broke. Her son truly loved this girl. She dug through her purse to retrieve her car keys, and held them out to her son. He grabbed the keys from her and pulled her in for a hug, ignoring the pain.

"Thank you mother. I love you. You're the best mom ever. You can stay at my apartment tonight and I'll take you home in the morning. I have to go home and get some clothes anyway."

"Yes, best not be showing up in a hospital gown. And just so you know, those keys come with a caveat," she said her voice turning stern. "You will not take me home tomorrow. You will march yourself right back here to this hospital and follow everything that doctor tells you to do. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." David grinned at her and kissed her cheek before heading to the nurses station to sign for his discharge.

He had refused any pain medication, so the pain in his ribs, along with his mother's repeated admonition to slow down and be careful, hindered him much more than he would have liked. It was nearing 11 p.m. when he arrived at the convention center. He was four hours late. He hoped she would still be here. Maybe he should have driven by her house first.

He was stopped by a security guard at the front desk on his way to the elevator. "Can I help you sir? This building is closed for a private event this evening."

"Yes, I know. That's what I'm here for. I know I'm extremely late."

"May I see your invitation."

David tried to act nonchalant as he tried to bluff his way past the guard. "I'm Ms. Mary Margaret Blanchard's escort for the evening, but I was unavoidably detained, so she asked me to just meet her here."

"What is your name, sir?"

"David Nolan."

The guy eyed him curiously. David knew he looked suspicious. For one, it was 11 o'clock. He was way past late. And it spite of the tux, he could only clean up so much. His face was full of scratches. He had stitches on his chin, bandages around his wrist. He wondered briefly if he should mention the car accident, in case the guy thought he'd been in a brawl of some sort. Before he could decide, the security guard picked up the phone and called upstairs. He explained the situation before hanging up the phone.

He turned his attention back to David. "If you'll have a seat, they are going to find Ms. Blanchard and tell her that you have arrived."

David took a seat in the waiting area and began contemplating exactly what he would say to Mary Margaret. Would she be angry, or would she be relieved to see him? At the sound of the elevator ding, he jumped to his feet, expecting to see her face. It was not her, but another security guard, who exited the elevator.

"Mr. Nolan, I presume. Follow me please." He held the elevator open for David, and gestured for him to step inside.

David entered the elevator, and they rode it up to the top floor ballroom. The elevator opened up to a foyer in front of large double doors. There was a sign announcing the reception honoring the former Governor, Mary Margaret's father, Leo Blanchard. The guard escorted him towards the doors, but turned him left into a small side room just before they reached them.

David was surprised by how dark the room was. The only light coming from a small desk lamp, that put out more of an eerie glow, than actual light. There was a distinguished, slightly balding, gray-haired gentleman seated behind the desk. He didn't get up as he addressed David.

"Mr. Nolan, please have a seat. We have not met, I am Leopold Blanchard, Mary Margaret's father."

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Blanchard." David held out his hand to shake. Mr. Blanchard ignored it.

"I'm afraid Mr. Nolan, that I am going to have to ask you to leave. My daughter doesn't want you here, and frankly, even if she did. I'm not so sure I would."

"I understand how you feel, Mr. Blanchard, but if you'd only let me talk to her I can explain everything."

Mr. Blanchards voice was calm, but seething, as he questioned David. "You understand how I feel? Are you a father Mr. Nolan?"

"No, sir, I'm not."

"Then you have no idea how it feels to have your daughter come home from a date, and hear her crying in her room over a young man. To be unable to comfort her. To watch as the same man is the cause of more tears this evening. To watch her wait and wait, only to have you not show up. She refused to leave the house this evening because she was waiting on you. My family finally had to leave for the reception without her or I would have been late. Thank goodness for Frank, who was able to talk her into finally coming."

"I'm very sorry sir. If you would just hear me out. I was in an accident, but I'm here now. Your daughter means the world to me, Mr. Blanchard. I promise you that I would never intentionally hurt her. I love her more than anything. I want to marry her."

"But you have hurt her, and now you tell me that you want to marry her. What exactly do you expect me to say to that? I'd be a fool to allow that. I've checked you out Nolan, you have very little to offer my daughter."

"I have love, sir. I can offer her love." David answered with as much confidence as he could muster, but Mr. Blanchard had hit on a secret fear of his. That she deserved more than he could offer her.

Leo laughed before rising from his chair. "I was going to just have security kick you out, but do you know why I didn't? Why I had them bring you up here? I want to show you something Mr. Nolan." He crossed to the window and pointed for David to follow him. He opened the blinds just a crack and allowed David to peer out into the ballroom where the party was still going strong in spite of the lateness of the hour. The ornateness of the room and the decorations, overwhelmed him. He had certainly never been anywhere half as nice. There was a full orchestra settled on a stage, playing something classical. The kind of music he was forced to listen to back in high school music class. Lights rotated and reflected off an ornamented crystal chandelier onto a marble floor, that was currently home to a bevy of dancing couples, all dressed to the nines. Waiters circulated the room with silver trays of full of fancy hor d'oeuvres and bubbling champagne.

"This Mr. Nolan, is the life that my daughter is accustomed to. It is the life that I have worked hard for her to have."

David searched the room until he found her. His breath caught in his chest when he saw her. She was a vision in a form-fitting, sleeveless, black, full length gown with lace detailing along the low-cut, without being too revealing, neckline. He couldn't help but wonder if she had worn that for him, knowing exactly what it would do to him. As he was watching her, a man he didn't recognize approached her with two champagne glasses in his hand. She smiled at the gentleman as he handed her a glass, and together they sipped. He stood awkwardly next to her father, as he watched them talking. Something the gentleman said, made her laugh. He couldn't hear it from where he was, trapped behind the window, watching. He couldn't control the noticeable swallow as he saw the man casually reach up to brush her hair from her shoulder before running his hand down her arm. He jumped when Leo Blanchard began to speak again. He had been so lost in watching her, he had almost forgotten the circumstances of where he was.

"That, Mr. Nolan is Frank Steinman. He and my daughter have been friends since they were children. Mary Margaret has loved him since she was ten. He's grown up practically a part of our family. He has also expressed to me his interest in my daughter. He is exactly the kind of man that I want for her. He has the means to give her the life that she deserves."

David never looked at Mr. Blanchard as he was speaking. He was unable to take his eyes off of Mary Margaret. He watched as the man he now knew as Frank, took her empty champagne glass from her and set it on a nearby table, before taking her hand in his. He led her out among the other couples on the dance floor and twirled her to him. They danced effortlessly together. She laughed as they danced, and he pulled her closer. Closer than any other couple on the floor. He whispered something in her ear, and she leaned back to smile at him. David felt like he couldn't watch anymore, and yet he couldn't make himself look away.

"As you can see, Frank makes my daughter smile Mr. Nolan, while you, on the other hand, seem quite good at making her cry. You'll understand if I ask you to not see her again."

David opened his mouth to plead with her father, but he had already turned and was walking from the room. David didn't stand a chance with him. Suddenly he realized that, even without his accident, even if he had been on time tonight, he had never stood a chance with him. As soon as Mr. Blanchard exited the room, his security stepped from the shadows and grabbed David hard by the elbow.

"I'll see you out, Mr. Nolan."

David sat flabbergasted for several moments in his mother's car before making a decision. Love was worth fighting for. He would not let her go like this. He had to at least talk to her. To let her know how he felt. He drove to her house and parked down the street so her father wouldn't notice a strange car, and kick him out before he could get to her. He waited patiently for about half an hour before a car drove up. He stepped behind the bushes checking that it was her before he made himself known. He saw her exit the vehicle the same time as Frank jumped from the drivers side and ran around to her. He put his arm around her waist as they walked together towards the front door. David remained frozen where he was. He hadn't anticipated a man escorting her home.

Mary Margaret knew that Frank intended on trying to kiss her before they had even left the party. He had been extra flirty and handsy all night, something that he had never been with her before. She had tried to call him on it earlier in the night. He had simply commented that she had certainly grown up since he'd been in Washington. She had made a joke, telling him that she was 24 years old, and had been grown up for a while. He had remained completely serious, and stroked her cheek, saying he was so glad he had finally taken notice.

She had played nice all night. Partly because she refused to do anything that might ruin this night for her father, and partly because she was just a little tipsy from the amount of champagne she'd had on an empty stomach. She also must admit that it felt good to be wanted by someone. The last two days with David had left her questioning if something was wrong with her. She hadn't stopped thinking about David the entire night. She had been worried at first, and had refused to leave the house certain that something had happened. Then she just got angry. By the time Frank had shown up to get her, on her father's orders, she was livid. Why had he not called? What kind of game was he playing? He could have just ended it last night after the embarrassing incident in his truck. Why was he leading her on?

These thoughts were still going through her mind as she and Frank walked to the front door after the party. If she was honest, that, coupled with the champagne was probably why she didn't stop him. Just as they reached the front door, he took her in his arms and pulled her close, kissing her.

David stood silently hidden near the bushes just feet from them. His view was partially blocked, but the sounds alone let him know that it was not exactly a chaste kiss.

''Frank." Mary Margaret pushed him back slightly, as she came to her senses. She didn't want Frank, she wanted David. There was no spark, no butterflies, no heat moving through her. Kissing Frank was like kissing her brother.

"Mary, I have feelings…" Frank started, but Mary held her hand up.

"No, don't say anything. I don't want to talk. I can't. Not tonight." There was a beat of silence between the two of them before Mary opened the door. "Are you staying the night?"

"I was planning on it. That is if you're okay with it."

Mary entered the code for the door, and opened it. Frank followed her inside and shut the door. David didn't see Mary quietly tell him goodnight before heading by herself upstairs to her own room, while Frank turned and headed for the guest room on the main floor. The guest room where he had been staying whenever he visited, since he was a teenager.

David stood there in the bushes trying to make sense of what he had just seen. Had Mary Margaret really just invited a man to sleep over at her house? Had she been sleeping with him this whole time? Had she ever really loved David? Confusion, and fury, and jealousy surged through him. Unable to hold it in, he kicked at the wall, not noticing the water spigot protruding out from the brick. He made contact with the spigot with enough force to bend the pipe and break the handle clean off. Water began spewing forth in all directions, quickly soaking him. He was forced from his hiding place, tearing his tux pants as he went. He took off running through the yard toward where he had parked his car. He had forgotten all about his broken ribs until the searing pain hit him mid-run. Between that and his now injured foot, he limped the rest of the way to his car. He was beaten and bruised physically, as well as in spirit.

He got in his car and drove back to his apartment. By the time he had gotten there he had decided there was only one thing left to do. His heart belonged to Mary Margaret, but it was obvious that hers didn't belong to him. He could fight for her, but that would force her to choose between her family and him. He couldn't make her do that.

He walked into his apartment resolved to walk away from her. His mother looked him over when, unsure what to even say. He was wet and dirty. His clothes were torn. His eyes were bloodshot. She could tell by the way he was holding himself that his ribs were hurting, and his facial expression let her know that his heart was hurting.

"Oh, son." It was all she could get out.

"It's okay mom. I'll be okay." For the first time since he was ten years old, he lied to his mom. He reached in his pocket and brought out the ring, pressing it into her hand. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."


	7. Operation Crab

**Operation Crab**

David woke up laying face first on the beach with mouthful of sand. He sat up, shielding his eyes from the morning sun, as he attempted to spit out the nasty, grittiness stuck to his cheeks and tongue. He went to gargle in the salty ocean water, being careful not to actually swallow any. He was busy contemplating which was worse, the sand or the salt water, when he suddenly came to his senses enough to realize that Mary Margaret hadn't been lying on the beach next to him.

He spit the water quickly from his mouth, as he yelled her name. "Mary Margaret! Mary Margaret!"

His eyes ran frantically over the beach, searching for any sign of her. He hadn't meant to fall asleep last night. He was supposed to watch over her, and keep a look out for Killian and Emma. He briefly wondered if they had come in the night and left him here. Surely Mary Margaret would not have done such a thing. Although, could he possibly blame her if she had? He had often regretted the fact that he had left her the way he did. How cowardly of him to not face her, to sneak away without a word.

At the time, he had thought the opposite. He thought that he was doing the easy thing for her, by not forcing her to tell him the truth about Frank, or to admit that she didn't feel the same way he did. He had seen himself as the martyr. Taking on all the pain, and leaving her free. Free from guilt, free to blame him, free to pursue her relationship with Frank. But he had learned that the years of no answers…of no closure…had left him unable to let go and move on. He often wondered if she ever thought of him. If she too was haunted by his silent departure. Her response to unexpectedly seeing him that night at the club with Ruby, had given him the answer. He had seen the hurt in her eyes. He had heard the anger fighting to break free in her biting tone and one word answers, as he attempted to make small talk. She had disappeared from the club shortly after.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a scream reverberating through the trees. It was coming from the interior of the Island.

"Mary Margaret? Mary Margaret, where are you?" he called as he made his way through the thick vegetation of the Island. He had no shoes on, and the ground was covered in rocky dirt, slowing his movements. The sound of a thump in the bushes to his left had him turning in that direction. He found her shaking a finger towards a nearby papaya tree, angrily admonishing it. She appeared to be perfectly fine.

David's first emotion was relief, followed quickly by amusement. He crossed him arms, and let out a laugh at her apparent aggravation with the tree. "Talking to trees are we? Seems you've already succumbed to madness, and we've only been marooned on this island for a few hours."

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "David, you scared me."

He turned serious. "You scared me. I woke up and you were gone. I didn't know if you were lost, or possibly hurt somewhere."

Mary Margaret scoffed as she rolled her eyes, "I don't need a hero, David, so stop trying to be one. You're not my Prince Charming…not anymore." She mumbled that last part under her breath so he didn't hear it, as she turned her attention back to the tree.

David shook his head not sure how to respond to her. Last night, she had thanked him for saving her, now she was saying she didn't need him. Which one was it? He watched as she picked up a nearby rock and threw it up into the tree, obviously trying to knock the fruit down. She was not having much success. He leaned against a nearby tree and watched with an amused grin as she made several more attempts. She was very aware of him watching her, and it only served to increase her frustration with each miss. After half a dozen attempts her frustration got the better of her. She was getting tired and her throws were getting more off target, and David was silently watching the whole thing with that cocky half-smile on his face. She would show him. She wound herself up like a discus thrower and spun with all her force. She let the rock go with a grunt. The rock hurled through the air like a rocket, unfortunately for her, it's course was about a meter to the left of the tree. David burst out laughing.

She turned to him with a smirk. "I'm glad that I can provide you with such entertainment."

David brought his hand over his mouth before running it along the back of his neck, hoping the gesture would serve to wipe away the smile that he was struggling to control. "Would you like some help?"

"I told you I don't need a hero. I'll get them down."

"I'm sure that eventually you will, but I'm actually a little hungry myself. I think I'd like to eat sooner rather than later."

"And you think you're a better shot than me?"

"Actually, I was thinking it would be easier if you stood on my shoulders. The fruit is only about ten feet up. You should easily be able to reach them."

Mary Margaret looked at him, trying to decide what to do. She knew he was right, but swallowing her pride and giving in to him, was proving a difficult choice.

"Come on, Mary Margaret, stop being so stubborn. We need to get back to the beach. I assume that they will be out looking for us first thing this morning, and I would hate to miss when the boat comes."

At the mention of rescue, Mary Margaret quickly acquiesced. David stooped down and helped her into a sitting position on his shoulders. He stood to his full height. Keeping one hand in David's, Mary Margaret placed her other on the tree trunk and brought her feet up to his shoulders. She was a little wobbly, but she managed to stand up. David released her hand and placed both his hands on her shins.

"Okay, Mary Margaret, I've got you. Reach out and see if you can pick the fruit."

Mary was shaking, grateful for the strength of David's upper body as he held her tight. She took a few minutes to try and feel comfortable before venturing to reach for a papaya. She hesitated and looked back down at him. "Don't drop me."

"Never." David's voice was strong and unwavering, infusing her with confidence of her own.

It took a bit of trial and error to figure out how to get the fruit to release from the tree. She learned it was easiest to lift it up to break it from the tree, not to pull it down. When she had the first one in her hand, David told her to try and gently toss it onto the ground so she could get another one. She aimed the fruit and released. It hit the top of his head before falling to the ground.

"Ouch!" He looked up at her. She didn't even try to hide the pleased look on her face. "What was that for?"

"That was for calling me stubborn."

David couldn't help but smile at the impish look she gave him. It was at that moment that he seemed to realize for the first time, that he had a view directly up her legs. Suddenly his heart sped up, as thoughts he didn't need right now rushed into his head. He swayed slightly as he tried to look quickly back down, before regaining his stability. Mary Margaret reached out for the tree trunk to steady herself. She was about to reprimand David for almost making her fall, when she saw his face go red as he diverted his attention to stare at the ground. Heat pooled in her own cheeks as she realized where he must have been looking. She grabbed down another fruit and dropped this one even harder on his head.

"Come on, Mary Margaret," he said while rubbing his head. "Now you're just being mean."

She reached for his hands and held them for support as she jumped down. "That one was for letting your eyes wander where they don't belong." She looked pointedly at him, daring him to deny it.

He looked at her sheepishly, but didn't deny it at all. "Why don't you take those back to the campfire. I'm going to see if I can find a couple of coconuts to give us water, and a sharp rock or two to use to break them open."

By the time that David made it back to the campfire, Mary Margaret had gathered some large leaves and laid them out on the sand, creating a sort of a picnic blanket. She had found a piece of wood that she was using as a sort of a table top. She had managed to cut up the papaya, using a half of an oyster shell that had been laying on the beach. David marveled at her ingenuity.

"Look at you," he said as he approached her. "Definitely not the damsel-in-distress type of girl at all."

"Woman." She replied as if offended.

He put his hands up as a sign of surrender. "Okay, woman. I didn't mean to offend you, I was trying to pay you a compliment."

It was Mary Margaret's turn to look sheepish. "I'm sorry."

She offered him a piece of the papaya. He sat down across from her. They ate in silence for awhile, both staring aimlessly out to sea.

"I don't understand where Emma and Killian are. Why haven't they come for us?"

He reached out and touched her shoulder. "I'm sure that they are looking."

"David, we can't be more than five miles from where we fell off the boat. The fire was burning all night. They should have seen it. How can they not have found us yet."

"I think maybe they don't know where we went overboard. They don't know if we drifted all night, or if we tried to swim to shore, or which direction we swam. They are probably searching the whole bay."

"Wouldn't it make sense for them to start where we were when the trouble began?"

"Probably, but not necessarily, especially if they called in the coast guard. I've been on these types of operations before. It's so hard to see things floating in the water. The sun, the horizon, the waves…it all plays tricks on your mind. They are going to want to create a search grid and do things methodically. I promise, they will find us."

"I don't want to spend another night here, David"

David didn't know what to say to that. He wanted so much to be able to promise her that they wouldn't, but realistically he knew that it was a very good possibility. If they didn't know where to even start, it could take days to find them. Finally he offered her the only promise he could. "Hey, we're safe here, and I'm going to take care of us for however long it takes them to find us, okay?"

She shook her head in affirmation. His words did comfort her. Maybe she did need a hero, she just didn't need to let him know that.

"Hey," David jumped up and grabbed her hand, pulling her up from the makeshift picnic blanket. "Let's enjoy ourselves while we're here. How about we go snorkeling?"

"Have you looked around? I don't see a snorkel shop around here, where exactly are we getting these snorkels?"

"Okay, so it'll really be swimming, but I thought snorkeling sounded better." He looked at her earnestly, his blue eyes begging her to say yes.

She couldn't help but smile at him. He really was charming, and his enthusiasm was hard to turn down. She followed him into the water. He led her past the sandy beach to a more rocky area, that would be better for viewing fish and other sea creatures.

It was breathtaking, viewing the variety of tropical fish under the water. They saw bright yellow barracuda, shimmering rainbow colored parrotfish, and several other species they couldn't name. It was the most enjoyable morning either of them had experienced in a long time.

A few hours into their excursion they surfaced and were sitting out on the rocks jutting from the water. The sun was almost directly overhead, and getting quite brutal. David was just about to suggest they get out of the water and find some shade when he spotted a stone crab hiding burrowing under a rock. He pointed it out to Mary Margaret.

"There is stone crab hiding out among these rocks. How would you like some crab claws for our next meal?"

"Sure, If you're offering to cook them."

"Why don't you head back to camp and put a fresh log on the fire? I'll swim down and try to catch some for us."

"But I want to help" She crossed her arms and puffed out her bottom lip.

"Getting the fire ready is helping."

"Here's another idea, how about I catch my lunch, you get yours."

"I just don't want you to get pinched, their claws are strong enough to break the skin. They can really do some damage."

"I'll be careful. I won't get pinched."

David looked at her, ready to argue, but the eagerness in her expression stopped him. He really enjoyed this adventurous side of her that he was seeing. It was a far sight better than her laying on the beach refusing to do anything but complain about bugs, and heat, and sand.

He smiled at her. "Okay, operation crab is a go. Here's what we'll do. They like to hide under rocks. When we find one, you are going to move the rock, and I will reach in and grab the crab."

"Sounds easy enough."

Before they got started, David swam back to shore and found a good sturdy twig to distract the crab if need be. Together they searched until David spotted one just barely peeking out from under it's hiding spot. He motioned for her to get into place behind the rock. He gave her the signal and she lifted the rock. The crab attempted to dig himself deeper, but David used the stick he had brought to push him out into the open water. Then he placed the stick into his claws, getting him to clamp down. Reaching from the backside he grabbed the crab.

"That was awesome," Mary Margaret gushed. I want to try and catch the next one."

He looked at her prepared to say no, but she was ready for him. Her posture, with her head cocked to one side and her eyebrows raised, said, I dare you to challenge me. He wasn't up for that challenge.

He took his shirt off and tied the bottom to create a bag to hold the crab he had just caught. He turned to her and handed her the stick. "Okay, let's see what you can do."

David quickly spotted another crab, and this time he placed himself behind the rock. This one didn't try to dig deeper, instead attempting to make a run for it. The little guy was quite fast scurrying across the sandy bottom, but Mary Margaret gave chase. She used the stick to impede his progress and turn him back towards her. She continued to poke at him forcing him into a battle. He grabbed the stick tightly in his claw and Mary Margaret took that moment to quickly grab it.

She surfaced, squealing as she did. "I did it, I did it! Look, David." Her eyes were greener then he had ever seen them, shining with the thrill of victory.

Caught up in the moment, and her excitement, David rushed towards her. In one move, he gathered the crab up in his shirt with one hand, and put the other around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her. "That was fantastic Mary Margaret."

His heart jumped at the feeling of skin on skin, hers so soft and smooth under his touch. His move had been an instinctual reaction to the elation of the moment. Now he found himself holding her close, her lips inches from his. The desire to kiss her was so strong. He met her eyes, and saw fear flash in them. He dropped her quickly, and stepped back.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I didn't mean to, I just…"

"It's okay, David. We're friends. Friends support each other. They can hug without it meaning anything."

That's what Mary Margaret was trying to tell herself. She could still feel the ghost of his touch on her skin. For a moment she had been afraid that he was going to kiss her. Afraid, because of how much she wanted him to. Afraid, because she knew if he did, he would have her heart again, and she couldn't allow that.

"Yes they can," he agreed. "And you did good."

"I did do pretty great didn't I?"

David laughed at her, "such humility." What happened to the quiet, shy, school teacher that I remember?"

Mary Margaret dared herself to meet his eyes. Her gaze was one of steel as she reinforced the armor around her heart with her confession. "She got stronger. She decided to be the only one responsible for her own happiness."

David didn't know how to respond to that, as guilt overwhelmed him. He stood there awkwardly for a moment, before reaching out to touch her cheek.

Mary Margaret flinched at his touch and stepped back out of his reach. She pointed to David's wriggling shirt, "I think we need to catch a few more in order to call operation crab a success." She dove off into the water before he could respond.

David watched her for a moment, before swallowing his guilt and following her. For the rest of the afternoon he forced his mind to concentrate on operation crab.


	8. A Game Of Risks

**A Game Of Risks**

The sound of seagulls calling out woke Mary Margaret from what had been a night of fitful sleep. David had made a small shelter and lined the floor with grass and leaves to make sleeping on the ground more comfortable. But honestly how comfortable can you really make sleeping on the hard ground.

They had spent yesterday afternoon gathering rocks and creating an S.O.S. sign in the sand, in case they had planes searching for them. After that, David had occupied himself creating the small shelter for them, to block the cool night winds on the Island. They had talked to each other only as necessary for their tasks. The tension from the earlier incident hung heavy between them. Hours later, Mary Margaret had been still able feel a tingling sensation on the skin across her waist where he had touched her. She was in a battle with her mind, as the memories of what it felt like to have David's lips warm and wet against hers wouldn't leave her alone. They had invaded not only her waking hours, but her sleep as well.

David continually assured her that they would be rescued soon, but she was beginning to wonder. He had also promised her last night that if they did not see a boat, or any signs of rescue today, that they would discuss the possibility of leaving the Island on their own. She knew that David did not think it was the best option. He felt they were safer staying on the Island, where at least they had food. Mary Margaret was willing to risk it.

The problem was, that while she knew that physically she was safer here, emotionally, she was not. The quiet, tension filled hours on the Island, was bringing to the surface all those thoughts and worries that she had been able to successfully push down and ignore before. Could she really marry a man that she loved but wasn't in love with? Would she really grow to love him deeper over time, like she had convinced herself she would? Would it be fair to bring the children she so desperately wanted into such a marriage? And the hardest question of all…would she ever be able to get passed her feelings for David or would he always haunt her dreams?

She sat up, refusing to lay there and think about it anymore. She stretched to try and get the kinks out, before turning her attention back to the relentlessly cawing birds. She watched as they circled around in search of their breakfast. She got up and took a papaya from the pile that she and David had picked from the trees the night before. After breaking it into pieces, she moved further out onto the beach and began throwing the pieces to the unruly mass.

The ruckus created by the over-excited birds awoke David with a start. He jumped up, thinking he needed to rescue her from an onslaught of seagulls. The sound of her melodic laughter stopped him in his tracks as he realized that she wasn't being attacked by the birds at all.

He stood back and watched her as she interacted with the gulls. He had seen seagulls being fed by unsuspecting beach goers before. The birds were usually relentless and impatient in their pursuit of food. Most of the time, it would end in disaster, with the person running in terror, as the birds attacked them. He had never seen seagulls react like these. They were almost gentle with her, as they hovered near and waited for her to throw the papaya their way.

It was a beautiful picture. He wished he had a camera. The sun was just making its' appearance into the sky. Golden hues, mixed with pink, stretched across the horizon. There was not a cloud in the sky. Mary Margaret's petite silhouette, surrounded by hovering seagulls, was breathtaking against the backdrop of the rising sun.

She hadn't yet noticed him. He watched as two birds near her went for the same piece of fruit, pecking at each other. "Now stop it you two. That's not nice," came the playful lilt of her voice as she scolding them. "There's plenty for all of you."

He was in awe, as the two birds actually stopped and looked at her as if they understood. She stooped down and held her hand out, a piece of fruit waiting in her palm. She smiled as one of the gulls chose to leave the fruit on the ground for his buddy. He tentatively hopped towards her, snatching the food from her hand, before quickly flying off.

David crossed the beach and made his presence known to her. "If I didn't know better, I could swear that they actually listened and understood you."

Mary Margaret looked at him, her face the picture of innocent sincerity. "Well of course they do?" She began to whistle and call out to the birds, as she held her finger out as if expecting one to come and land on it.

David's jaw dropped open, a look of incredulous confusion across his face. That was until he noticed the playful twinkle in her eye. "You're teasing me."

She laughed as she stood up. "Well, you make it so easy."

"And now you're laughing at me." David looked at her, laughter shining in his own eyes.

She noticed a moment too late the change in his expression from amusement to mischievousness. He darted towards her. She turned to run, only making it a few steps before he easily caught her up in his arms. He continued running with her, as she kicked and struggled, demanding that he put her down. Ignoring her pleas, he ran straight into the ocean. When the water depth reached a level where he could no longer freely run, he jumped and plunged forward, with her still helplessly in his grip, dunking them both.

She came up coughing and spitting, as she glared at him. He would have been worried that she was really angry if he hadn't noticed the hint of a smile on her lips.

"That was just wrong," she said, pursing her lips and placing her hands on her hips. The gesture was meant to look menacing, but it was hard when it was taking all her effort to keep from laughing.

"You started it by teasing me first."

"You started it? That sounds like something a ten year old would say. Real mature, David." She tried to be sound put out, but she couldn't hide the humor in her voice.

His boyish grin only got bigger. "And I'm not sorry. It was worth it to see you standing there all dripping wet, trying to act mad."

Mary Margaret stood there for just a moment contemplating her response, before she bent down under the water. She came up right next to him, with a two handfuls of wet sand. She took the sand and dumped it on the top of his head, and smearing it into his hair. She burst into laughter as she stepped back to admire her work. He looked in shock as the salt water and sand slid down his face.

He dropped down into the water to wash it off. He came up wiping his eyes, and running his hands through his hair before looking up to her. He lurched forward and grabbed her arm.

"I'm going to get you for this."

They wrestled together and splashed each other with water as both tried to get the upper hand. Their joined laughter filled the air as they got caught up in the merriment. That was until David noticed a flash of light in his peripheral vision. His heart dropped as he recognized the source. The sunlight was catching off of Mary Margaret's diamond engagement ring, creating a rainbow of sparkles in the splashing water. The ripples of light seemed to mock him. Reminding him once again that her love was pledged to another. His thoughts returned to the day before, when he had almost kissed her.

He released her abruptly and took a step back. He couldn't play this game with her, it was too risky. The struggle to control his desire for her was very real. Every moment spent in her presence was already torture. His love was only growing stronger, his connection more unbreakable. Thoughts of touching her, of holding her in his arms, of kissing her, never left his mind. They had plagued his dreams the last two nights, as he slept close enough to her to feel the warmth of her body heat.

She had remained still after he had stopped the splashing. He could feel her staring at him. He began to cough, pretending that he had swallowed some of the ocean water.

"David, are you all right?"

He winced at the sound of concern in her voice. She doesn't love you, he repeated over and over in his head. He stared at her ring, the symbol of her commitment to Frank. He cleared his throat before daring to glance up at her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just swallowed a bunch of sea water. How about we call a truce, and go get some breakfast?"

She tilted her head slightly, as she raised her eyebrows, her mood still teasing. "Are you surrendering then?"

He tried to keep up her same light-hearted tone, but failed miserably. "I guess if that's what you want to call it. Although, we both know that if I was really trying, you would have no chance at defeating me."

David turned and began walking towards the beach. Mary Margaret followed closely on his heels, imploring him to come back and finish what he started. When he did not respond she laughingly calling him a coward. She raised her fists in the air, declaring her victory.

It wasn't until he turned around to look at her that she understood why he walked away. His eyes were full of sorrow. His attempt at a fake smile only highlighted the turmoil going on inside of him. She recognized the look. He was as tortured as she was by the emotional strain between them.

Watching from a distance, Killian and Emma, were completely unaware that the atmosphere on the Island was more like a ticking time bomb, than budding love. They sat just off the Island in a small row boat they had rented earlier that morning. They wanted to keep an eye on things with David and Mary Margaret, while being as inconspicuous as possible. They had anchored Killian's boat on the backside of the Island, and then rowed the little dingy from there, in the hopes that they would not be seen. Killian had moored the vessel behind a line of large rocks that jutted out into the water just off the Island.

Lowering his binoculars, he turned to Emma. "Well Swan, it seems congratulations may be in order. They certainly seem to be enjoying each other's company. They are splashing around and playing in the water together."

"Well, I won't say that I told you so."

Killian gave a small chuckle. "I believe that's what you just did."

Emma merely shrugged her shoulders, before leaning in and kissing him. Killian pulled her in closer, savoring the taste of her lips on his.

As they parted, he licked his lips and lifted one eyebrow. "I quite like the perks of this little scheme of yours."

She let out a laugh, before thinking better of it, and covering her mouth with her hands. She couldn't allow them to be discovered.

Killian stood up and began pulling up the anchor. "Now then, shall we exchange this boat for mine, and embark on a rescue mission?"

"No, not now," Emma stated emphatically. They are just starting to loosen up."

"Love, they've already spent two nights together on this Island. How long do you plan on holding out? Keep in mind that they have no source of fresh water. They may have an unlimited supply of fruit and seafood, but the only thing suitable to drink is the milk from coconuts. Not to mention, that Frank has been calling her phone…and yours…relentlessly for the last twelve hours. How are you going to explain that his fiancé was missing, and you didn't even bother to take his calls?"

"I don't care about Frank. He's only calling because the pictures that crazy paparazzi took of her and David, were printed in the paper. He's not trying to protect his love, he's trying to protect his investment."

"You need to care, Emma. First off, may I remind you, that crazy paparazzi was originally called by you? Second, the longer we wait, the harder that it's going to be for us to explain this whole situation. At some point we are going to have to explain to Frank why we didn't call him, or why we didn't call the Coast Guard. It's also likely that once Frank knows about the situation, your father will as well."

"That photographer is not about to reveal his sources so I'm not worried about that. I'm going to tell everyone that I was trying to keep the disappearance out of the press. That given everything that's going on, I didn't want to create speculation that Mary Margaret and David had run off together. That I didn't want to create a media circus."

"You are going to tell them that you risked their lives to keep from creating a scandal. Do you think that answer is going to fly with Mary Margaret and David? That's going to make you no better than Frank, or your father, in their eyes. How are you going to make them understand, without letting them know that you knew where they were the whole time?"

"That's why I need to make sure that David and Mary Margaret are back together. They won't blame me if they realize that's the reason they found each other again."

Killian sighed in frustration. The entire Blanchard family were the most stubborn people he had ever encountered.

"Please don't be mad at me, Killian."

"I'm not mad, I'm just worried about you Emma. I'm not sure you have fully calculated the risks in this game you are playing. You're taking an awfully big chance here. Are you sure you're willing to risk your relationship with your sister and your entire family on this gamble."

Emma looked at him pleadingly. "One more night, Killian. That's all I ask. Things are going so well between them. We'll rescue them first thing tomorrow morning I promise."


	9. Castles In The Sand

**Castles In The Sand**

The mood between David and Mary Margaret had shifted drastically since their playful escapade earlier in the water. Mary Margaret had tried to make small talk during breakfast and the subsequent clean-up, but David remained aloof. He commented only when he had to, most often with one word answers.

She knew that they couldn't keep on like this. They were going to have to talk about it, get it out it the open. Ignoring the feelings between them was only serving to make things more awkward. Maybe the only thing keeping them hanging on to each other, was the fact that they had never verbally broken their ties. She had finally convinced herself to bring it up, when David stood up and began walking off.

"Hey, where are you going?" She stood up as she addressed him. She couldn't let him walk away. She was afraid that if she didn't talk to him now, she would lose her nerve.

"I'm going to go for a walk. I've been wanting to check out the Island a little more."

Mary Margaret knew, by the way that he was shifting his weight around nervously, that it was just an excuse. He couldn't even meet her eyes. It was obvious that he didn't want to check out the Island. He wanted to get away from her. She wasn't going to let him get away that easily.

"Do you mind if I tag along?" She asked him, trying to keep her voice as light and jovial as possible.

"Actually, I think I'd rather go by myself," he said still not looking at her. In fact, now he was intently picking at the bark of the tree next to him, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

She gathered up her courage. "David, I think maybe we should talk," she said rather firmly.

She saw a flash of shock and fear cross his features, before he just as quickly masked his expression again. "I promised we would talk about leaving the Island, and we will. I was hoping that looking around the Island a little more will help with a decision."

"I meant us David. We need to talk about us.'

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"We need to discuss what happened two years ago. We need closure."

"You're engaged to be married to someone else, that isn't enough closure for you?"

She had to work to not explode in anger at his comment. He said it like she was the one who had left him. She took a deep breath and counted to three before answering. "The obvious tension between us proves it isn't. David, please talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about," David mumbled, his back already turned to her, as he walked away.

Mary stood there, not even trying to hide the tears, as she watched him walk away. This was not at all how she pictured finally confronting him. She had thought about it many times. Most of the time, she envisioned herself yelling at him, finally releasing all the hurt and anger that she had buried deep in her heart. At first, she had wanted to hurt him as bad as he had hurt her. Over time, she had just wanted an explanation. She wanted to know why. She knew a small piece of the story, but not enough to give her the answers that she so desperately needed. She had not been brave enough to ask years ago, when she had the opportunity. Now it might be too late.

After David walked away from her, he wandered aimlessly around the Island. He had been shocked when Mary Margaret said they should talk, though he probably should have sensed it coming. The tension between them was just too much. Even in the moments that they had managed to look past it to have some fun, it was always there just underneath the surface.

He owed her an explanation. He knew that now. He had honestly thought at the time that he was doing what was best for her. He was giving her the freedom to be with Frank, to please her father. He had assumed at the time that her feelings for him weren't as strong as his for her. He thought he would be the only one living with a broken heart. The worst part in this mess was that he couldn't shake the thought that at the time, she had actually loved him, not Frank. If he would have stayed, they might be together. Now it was too late.

He found her later on the beach. Her eyes were red, and her cheeks splotchy, a sign that she had been crying. She was putting the finishing touches on a sand castle she had built. He approached her cautiously, aware she was probably mad at him for walking away earlier. She looked up at him briefly, before returning her attention to smoothing the walls of her castle. David sat down next to her.

"That's a pretty impressive looking sand castle."

Mary Margaret didn't respond, she didn't even look his way.

"Mary, I'm sorry."

"Go away, David."

"Please, let me explain."

She looked at him, venom in her eyes. "Oh, so now you want to talk?"

"I know that we need to talk, that I owe you an explanation. I just needed some time to gather my thoughts."

Mary Margaret stood up abruptly, her fists clenched at her sides, all self-control gone. "Two years isn't enough time? Well, guess what? You're too late. I don't need an explanation, and frankly I no longer care what you have to say."

She let out a scream then, as two years of pent up anger released out of her. She kicked at the sandcastle, scattering sand everywhere. David jumped into action. He stood and wrapped his arms around her from behind, begging her to stop.

"Let me go," she yelled. "Please, just let me go and go away."

David refused to let go. She fought him for a few moments before giving in. She collapsed in his arms as sobs wracked her body. His arms were the only thing keeping her on her feet. He turned her around to face him, and she buried her head on his chest. He tightened his grip around her waist as he repeated over and over how sorry he was, and how it was going to be okay.

It didn't take long for Mary Margaret's sobs to subside, and embarrassment to take over as she realized that she was being held and comforted by David. He felt her body stiffen. She pushed him away as she backed up beyond his reach.

"Mary Margaret," he said with a voice full of sorrow. He moved forward and attempted to place a hand on her cheek.

She pushed his hand away. "Stop. I'm fine. I don't need your pity."

"That's not what this is. I want to make this better. You're not fine and you don't have to lie to me."

"Why not. That's what you did isn't it? You lied to me. I waited for you for over an hour that night, as I sent my family ahead without me. It was an important night for my father, and I wasn't there because of you. I had to deal with pity from my friends, and snide remarks from my parents."

"I know, and I'm so sorry. I can explain. I wanted to come. I was driving home that night, when I got into an accident. I ended up in the hospital. I wanted to call you Mary Margaret, I promise. My phone was destroyed in the wreck and I didn't know your number."

David watched her closely, trying to gauge how she was taking his story. He couldn't read her at all. Her face gave away no sign of what she was thinking.

"Please," he pleaded. "You have to believe me."

"I believe you."

"You do."

"I know about the auto accident, David."

"What?" He couldn't hide his shock and confusion. "I don't understand. How do you know?"

"I was in love with you David. I actually thought you were my true love. When I didn't hear from you for several days I called an old friend of my father's. An investigator from his days in office. He looked into your disappearance, as a favor to me. Imagine my surprise when he told me that you were at your mother's home. I was concerned, at first, when he told me that you were there recuperating from injuries sustained in an accident. That was until I drove out to your mother's farm. I saw you out in the field, running around, playing fetch with your dog. You appeared perfectly healthy to me.

"You knew, the whole time? You were at my house? " David couldn't get his head around that. "But you never said anything. Why?"

"That is exactly the wrong question. A better one is why didn't you say anything? I get that you couldn't call that night, but days later, I still hadn't heard from you. Why? That's the explanation I want to hear. You sit here and tell me that you never meant to stand me up, and you expect me to believe you. You could have at least been man enough to break up with me in person. I deserved that much from you."

David ran his hand through his hair. He was trying to think. He had hoped telling her about the accident would be enough. Now it seemed, he was going to have to share more of the story. She was acting like he was the only one to blame in this whole situation. Maybe it was time for him to confess that he knew about Frank from the beginning.

"You weren't exactly forthcoming with me during our relationship either. I find it hard to believe that you were as in love with me as you say."

"I have never been anything but honest with you. Maybe I didn't come out and say that I love you, but I would have thought the way I threw myself at you that night in your truck might have been clue enough."

"So do you throw yourself at all your dates, or just the ones you love?"

The sound of the slap as her hand made contact with his cheek stunned them both. "How dare you say such a thing."

"Maybe it's time to throw all the cards on the table. I was there, Mary Margaret. I was at your father's reception. I saw you with Frank."

Now it was her turn to be shocked. "What do you mean you were there?"

"I was in love with you Mary Margaret. I woke up in the hospital, and I was almost insane with the knowledge that I had stood you up. I was so afraid you would be hurt and angry with me. I was afraid you wouldn't forgive me. I checked myself out of the hospital, against the advice of my doctor and the pleading of my mother, I might add."

"You were there?" There was a tremor in Mary Margaret's voice as she tried to process this new information. "But, I never saw you. Why didn't you say something?"

"I saw you..." David's voice caught as he struggled to continue. "I saw you with Frank. You were laughing and dancing. I had imagined you would be hurt and crying, but you appeared to be having a grand time without me."

Mary Margaret couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You didn't say anything to me, didn't even let me know that you were in the building, because you saw me dancing with an old friend?"

"An old friend, who is now your fiancée." His tone betrayed his own hurt and jealousy.

"Oh, David." Mary Margaret looked into his blue eyes, distraught by the hurt she saw there, but still burning with anger over his innuendo. She was overwhelmed by this new information. She didn't know exactly how to respond. "Frank and I were just friends then. We didn't start dating until almost six months after you left."

"Mary Margaret, you don't have to lie to save my feelings. I went to your house that night. I saw you kissing him. I saw you invite him in to spend the night."

"What were you doing, spying on me the whole night, like some sort of stalker?"

"No. I just wanted a chance to talk to you alone. I wanted to explain what happened. I thought I could wait at you house for you to get home. I assumed you would go home alone. But then I saw the two of you, and…" He looked away, unable to continue.

"You saw the two of us and what, David? You assumed that I slept with Frank that night? Just because you saw him kiss me?" She couldn't stop the hurt in coming through in her voice. "It's nice to know that you think so little of me. I guess you missed the fact that I actually pushed him away from me. I stopped him because I didn't want to be kissing him. I wanted to be with you…kissing you. How could you not know that, after the months that we spent together?"

"But," he faltered, "I heard you ask him if he wanted to stay the night."

"What you heard was me asking if he was planning on staying the night, in our guest room. A room that he had used dozens of times as a family friend. A room my step-mother had actually decorated to his liking. He practically lived in our home when he worked for my father."

David looked up into her strikingly dark green eyes. He could see the hurt and pain deep within. They were shining with tears, which she refused to let fall.

"How do we fix this?"

His gaze was so intense, so full of hope, that she was forced to look away as she answered. "We can't."

"But I love you. You just admitted that you love me too."

"But you didn't believe in us David. You didn't fight for us."

"It's not too late."

"I'm sorry, David. I don't trust you. You walked away. I can't risk that kind of heartbreak again."

"Please, Mary Margaret."

"I'm sorry." She straightened her posture and raised her chin in a show of strength. "Tomorrow morning I am going to find a way home, if I have to swim from Island to Island, all the way back to the mainland." She gave him no chance to respond as she turned and hurried away.

David was left standing alone on the beach. He had thought the first time losing her was bad, but this was torture. How was he supposed to handle knowing that if only he had spoken up, he might have never lost her in the first place?

He stayed there and watched as the waves moved back and forth across the beach, coming in farther each time as the tide came in. Eventually the waves began to slowly overtake what was left of Mary Margaret's sand castle. He couldn't help but think of the castle as a symbol of the true love of fairytales. The kind of love he never thought existed until he met Mary Margaret. The sight of the castle disappearing back into grains of sand on the beach was a perfect image of his dreams being washed away again.


	10. A Questionable Rescue

**A Questionable Rescue**

Sounds of loud knocking and raised voices assaulted Emma's ears, pulling her from her sleep. She glanced at the clock, it was only 7 a.m. She groaned, as she rolled over and tried to ignore the commotion downstairs. It was too early to get up. Unfortunately, she never got the chance to fall back asleep. Instead, Ruby came barging into her room, not even bothering to knock.

Emma sat up quickly. "What the heck, Ruby. You do realize it's only seven in the morning."

Ruby was slightly breathless and panicked as she explained to Emma. "Your father and Frank are downstairs, demanding to speak to Mary Margaret."

What!" Emma ripped the covers back and jumped from the bed. She hollered at Killian to wake up.

"What do I do? I didn't know what to do?" Ruby questioned, as she paced back and forth across the room.

Killian sat up with a groan, as he attempted to rub the traces up sleep from his eyes. "What is it, love?"

Emma turned to him. "We have a big problem, Killian. My father is here, and Frank is with him. They are asking for Mary Margaret."

Killian stood up and came around the bed to stand in front of Emma. He placed his hands on her arms and squeezed, an attempt at comfort. "It would seem then, Swan, that our time has expired."

"What should I do?"

"I would suggest that you ask for a parlay, and come clean."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at him. "Parlay? You're taking this pirate thing a little too far I think."

"Aye lass, Just trying to play the part. Scallywag such as I am," he said with a perfect pirate brogue, followed by a sweep of his arm, and a deep bow.

Emma rolled her eyes. "That gesture would have a greater impact, if you weren't wearing pajama pants."

"I'm glad that you guys are able to laugh at this," Ruby interrupted, "but seriously, what are we going to do?"

"I don't guess we have a choice. I'm going to go downstairs and face my father." She looked at Killian with a playful grin, "and hope he doesn't make me walk the plank."

"This is not amusing you two!" Ruby said as Killian and Emma burst into laughter.

Returning to seriousness, Killian offered to go with Emma, but she didn't want him taking any of the blame. She decided it was better to send him on ahead to get the boat ready for a rescue mission. Ruby gave her a quick hug for strength and with a deep exhale of air, Emma made her way down the stairs.

Leopold's back was to her as she entered into the living area of the beach house. "Hello, father."

Leopold turned at the sound of his daughter's voice. "Emma, would you like to explain to me what is going on here?" Emma tried not to jump at the sound of the anger as he spoke with a low growl. "Where is your sister? Frank has been trying to contact her for days. She is not answering her phone. I have tried calling her as well. She has never not answered my calls."

"There's a simple explnation for that. She can't answer because she doesn't have her phone. I have it."

Frank inserted himself into the conversation. "I don't understand. Why do you have her phone? Where is she? I've called you too, why are you not answering your own phone?"

Emma just glared at him, responding to his question with one of her own. "Why do you even care? I'm surprised you aren't taking advantage of the situation by hanging out with one of your many girlfriends."

"Emma Blanchard," her father's voice boomed out. "I want some answers, and I want them now."

Hearing her father yell, and call her by that name, reminded her what she was fighting for here. She replied to him with a new conviction in her voice. "My name is Emma Swan, and this whole situation is actually his fault." She pointed at Frank. "Mary Margaret was so upset by the pictures of her fiancé in the paper, kissing another girl. Killian and I took her out on the boat to try and cheer her up, when the accident happened."

"I was not kissing her. I explained that to Mary Margaret. How the whole thing was just a misunderstanding. She said she understood," Frank said looking desperately at Leopold, hoping he would believe him.

"I should have known that pirate had something to do with this," Leo interrupted.

"His name is Killian," Emma defended him, "and he has nothing to do with this. This is all on Frank. It's because of him that the paparazzi were chasing us, trying to get pictures of Mary Margaret."

"And they did get pictures, of her with David Nolan. What exactly was he doing on that boat, that's what I want to know? Frank questioned her.

"You should be glad he was on that boat. He was the only one who noticed when Mary Margaret fell overboard. He saved her life. By the time the rest of us had noticed them missing and found them, he had rescued her from the water and set up camp on a nearby Island."

"I still don't understand where Mary Margaret is now," her father said, his impatience growing.

Emma took a deep breath, and exhaled it slowly. She turned to her father, ready to face the moment of truth. "I left her and David together on the Island."

"You did what?" Her father bellowed.

"And she agreed to that?" Frank added, burning with jealousy.

"She didn't agree. She never knew that we even found them."

"What is wrong with you? Why would you do such a thing?" Leo stared at Emma, his face full of exasperation.

"Because Daddy, I want her to be happy."

Emma hadn't called her father, daddy in a long time. She had used the term of endearment as a ploy, hoping maybe he still loved her enough to be affected by the use. She hadn't expected that she would be the one affected as she said it. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the man she had once looked up to so much. He was no longer that man. She didn't even know him anymore.

"She, more than anyone I know, deserves true love. Frank doesn't love her like that, but David Nolan does. She needed to be reminded of that before she makes the horrible mistake of marrying the wrong man."

"So you admit that you are trying to sabotage our relationship?"

"You didn't need me to do that, Frank. You were doing a great job of that on your own. Are you really naive enough to think my sister will put up with your constant philandering? She won't, not forever."

Leopold stepped in between the two of them. "We can discuss this further later. I think the most important thing right now is to go get Mary Margaret."

Frank made an instant show of concern for Mary Margaret. "Yes, I demand that we go and rescue Mary Margaret. And you can be sure that I will let her know how you refused my phone calls, and I was worried enough about her to make Leo aware of her disappearance."

Emma rolled her eyes, as she grabbed her car keys from the table. She drove the three of them to the marina and led them to where Killian was waiting on his boat. As soon as his father saw Killian he recoiled.

"I refuse to get on a boat with him."

"I told you father, Killian had nothing to do with this."

"He agreed to it, didn't he? Being a sailor, he should have understood the dangers. He should have talked you out of it. Instead, he put my daughter in danger."

"He tried to talk me out of it. You of all people know how stubborn I am."

"It's okay, love," Killian interjected. "You don't need to defend me. I'm afraid that your father is right. I must lay claim my culpability in this scheme. We can hire out another vessel to take your father. I dare say that David and Mary Margaret may not wish to trust me as their captain either."

Reluctantly, Emma hired an offshore fishing boat for Leo and Frank to ride in. The two vessels started out as Killian led the way to where Mary Margaret and David were marooned.

Back on the Island, David and Mary Margaret had not spoken since their earlier discussion ended. He had spent the night on the beach, letting Mary Margaret have the shelter to herself. He had been unable to sleep most of the night, as he contemplated what to do about the situation between him and Mary Margaret. Everything within him wanted to fight for her, but he couldn't decide if that was the right thing to do or not.

She had indicated last night that she did not want to be with him. Then there was the fact that she was still engaged to someone else. Not to mention that he had still not told her about his conversation with her father. If he chose to fight for her, he would have to be honest about that. She would need to know how her father felt about David. She would be forced to defy her father to be with him. He was all tied up in knots.

He was drawn from his thoughts by distant rumblings. He had noticed that the wind and waves had picked up overnight. He was afraid that there may be a storm coming, which would only serve to complicate things even more. That would mean that he would need to find a better shelter for them, and a way to keep his fire going if it rained. He decided that the best thing to do for now was to fix breakfast, and worry about the rest later.

Mary Margaret had lain awake all night. She had been hiding out in the shelter, unwilling to face David. The sun had just barely began its ascent in the sky, when she smelled the fish cooking over the fires. It was her growling stomach that finally forced her outside. She was greeting by the sight of David bent over the fire, using makeshift utensils to turn the fish. He was shirtless, his chest still wet from his morning fishing expedition. He was scruffy, sporting two days of beard growth. His hair was messy, a mop of untamed, natural waves. All of which she found extremely sexy. There was no doubt how she felt about this man, as she struggled to control her body's response to him. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, tempted to turn around and crawl back into her hiding place. The sound of his voice, as he recognized her presence, forced her to stay and face him.

"Good morning. Are you hungry?" He asked, trying to act nonchalant.

She forced herself to smile. "Starving, and it smells great."

She made her way over to the fire, He handed her a leaf, with several small pieces of blackened fish on it. It wasn't the quality of a great seafood restaurant of course, but she couldn't help but be impressed given their limited conditions.

"It's very good," She complimented him.

"Well, it's edible at least."

"No, I'm serious, David. I'm impressed with how we've managed to handle this whole situation, being stranded on an uninhabited Island."

"You deserve a fair share of the credit. You've helped with everything, and rarely complained. You are much stronger than most people give you credit for, myself included," he said with genuine sincerity.

Her eyes brightened momentarily, as she smiled and accepted his compliment, before turning serious again. "As good as we've done, we can't keep it up much longer. We need to form a plan to get off of this Island and get home."

Knowing they disagreed, he braced himself for the fallout, even before he responded to her statement. "I think it's still best if we stay here and wait for rescue."

"You can't be serious. This is our third day, and we haven't even seen a boat. I thought the military all about action. What kind of soldier are you?"

"First of all, I'm in the Air Force, not the Army, so the correct term would be airman. And our plan of action should be determined by our objective. My number one objective is your safety, making the best plan of action staying put for now."

"I told you that I'm not some fairytale princess that needs a prince to come take care of her, so you don't need to concern yourself with my safety. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself."

"I don't doubt that you are. But, that doesn't mean I don't feel responsible. I'm still going to do what I can to get you home safely."

"They key to that statement is getting home. How is staying here going to get me home?"

"People are out there looking for us. Emma is out there looking. You know that. A stationary target is easier to find than a moving one. Being on land is safer than being in the water."

"I think if anyone was out there looking, they would have found us by now. You promised me that we would leave the Island. It's not like we are in the middle of the ocean miles from civilization. We are in a bay, surrounded by land."

"I promised we would talk about it. I never promised that we would actually leave. And we couldn't leave today, even if I had."

"Why not?"

"There's a storm coming."

"What storm? There's not a cloud in the sky."

"Not yet, but the wind has picked up tremendously, and it got several degrees cooler overnight. Not to mention that I heard thunder earlier."

"You don't have to go with me, but I'm leaving this Island." Mary Margaret said, finality evident in her tone.

"You can't, it's too dangerous."

"I don't need your permission."

"I'm not letting you leave this Island." David didn't mean to sound so condescending as he said that, but the truth was she was not leaving this Island today, or without him, ever. If he had to tie her to a tree to keep her here he would.

Mary Margaret stood there silently trying to keep her emotions in check. She needed off this Island. She was feeling trapped. She could feel David's eyes on her, making her feel claustrophobic. She turned and took off running for the water. Panicked, David ran after her, calling for her to stop. He caught up to her, grabbing her arm just as she reached the water.

"Mary Margaret, stop. Where are you going?"

"I don't know, I just need some space."

David stood there, her arm held tightly in his grasp. He was hesitant to let her go. She could see the fear in his eyes.

"You can let me go. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

Reluctantly, he released her. He watched her wade into the water toward the tide pools. She perched herself up onto one of the large rocks, that was jutting out from the water. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, staring off in the distance. He sighed as he turned away, giving her the space she wanted. He didn't go far though, needing to keep her in his sight. He decided to explore the cliff area, just past the sandy beach, for possible areas they could take shelter in, should the rains actually come.

His search turned up a couple of good options for shelter, but his main focus was the worrisome increase in the size and frequency of the waves. He was about to alert Mary Margaret to the danger, and suggest she come in out of the water, when he realized his warning was too late. He hollered at her, just as a large wave came crashing over the rock she was sitting on. He watched in horror as the force of the wave knocked her from the rock and she disappeared under the water.

Mary Margaret had looked up when she heard David's voice, but his words were lost in the strong winds. She never saw the wave coming, until it crashed into her, knocking her from the rock. She hit her head, as the waves continued to come, one after the other, trapping her up against the rocks. She tried in between every wave to break free from their pull and swim to the surface, but always the next wave pushed her back down before she could. She lost her bearings, no longer knowing which way was up, as she felt her chest begin to constrict, the need for air overwhelming her senses.

David rushed towards Mary Margaret. He was overcome by the feeling of Deja vu. He made it to her, and pulled her seemingly lifeless body from the water. Blood was dripping from a gash on her forehead. He rushed towards the shore, hugging her tightly to him.

"No, no, no…Mary Margaret….I love you…please…please come back to me," He repeated over and over, as he laid her on the sand and began CPR.

The sweetest sound he ever heard was the gagging reflux as her body released the sea water trapped in her lungs. She struggled to sit up, as she gulped in air. David rubbed her back, encouraging her to take slow, deep breaths. He reached out to examine the cut across her forehead. She flinched at his touch.

"I'm okay," she finally managed to speak, as her breathing evened out. She could see in his eyes that he didn't believe her. She reached out and squeezed his hand to reassure him of her statement.

His heart burned within him at her touch. This was the second time he had almost lost her in less than a week. It was perplexing really, how distraught he was at such a thought, when in actuality, he had lost her two years ago. The truth was, she was not even his to lose. She belonged to Frank now. She had promised her heart to him. Yet, there was no doubt in his mind that his heart still belonged to her, that she will own it forever.

Mary Margaret released his hand and moved to stand up. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. They were on their knees, facing each other. Everything faded away, but the two of them. He cradled both her cheeks tenderly in his hands. He stared at her intently, giving her every opportunity to pull away if that was what she wanted. She remained there, not even breaking eye contact under the intensity of his gaze. He leaned forward to kiss her softly, their lips just barely touching. The kiss lasted a long time, tender and gentle. Neither wanted to stop, yet, both were afraid to take it deeper. Finally, Mary Margaret was the one to pull away.

"David?"

She spoke his name as a question, looking deep into his eyes, seeking answers to a question even she was not sure of. She was so close to him that all his senses were on hyper alert, straining with his desire for her. Silence stretched between them, desperate blue eyes looked into darkened green. He's not sure who initiated the kiss this time, or if it just happened, as the passion exploded between them. This kiss was decidedly not gentle. His hands moved from her cheeks, to run through her hair and behind her head, pulling her closer. As she opened her mouth to him, he could taste the sweetness of the papaya clashing against the saltiness of the ocean water. Their tongues mingled together in a sloppy, noisy, unrestrained dance. Hands began to wander intimately between them in crazed desperation, as days, or years really, of pent up desire was released.

Killian and Emma approached the Island. The boat carrying Frank and her father were following behind. As they were coming near the land, Killian used his binoculars to check for signs of David and Mary Margaret. He raised his eyebrows at the sight that greeted him. He turned to Emma and handed her the binoculars, along with the suggestion that maybe they use the horn to announce their imminent arrival.

"Absolutely not," Emma declared, as she smiled at the scene in her view. Her plan was an obvious success. She could only hope that Frank would witness it.

The gentleman in David fought to break the kiss, but he was losing the battle. He shouldn't be doing this, his mind screamed at him. He should not be kissing her, especially not this intimately, when she was engaged to another man. Finally he managed to break free. The thought that did it for him was the desire to protect her. He knew her well enough to know how she would feel afterwards, if they continued down this path. He won't place that burden of guilt on her. Her greatest strength was her goodness, and her desire to always do the right thing. He won't take that from her. Even though her current actions suggested she was as desperate for this as he was. He knew that ultimately it would crush her spirit to commit such an act. So he pulled away. Honor, it seemed, had doomed him again.

His hands remained tangled in her hair, and hers flat on his chest, as he worked to regain his composure. She was still panting as she looked away, embarrassment mingling with the desire still flaring within her. That was when she noticed the boats for the first time. They were just about to make a landing on the shore. She wandered briefly if the strength of the wind and waves, had masked the sound of their engines as they approached, or if she had just been that distracted. She was still working to regain control of her emotions, when she recognized the figures standing on the deck of the boat. A single, choked, whispered word emerged from her lips.

"Frank."

The name was so low and quiet, that it was almost lost in the wind. David would have believed he imagined it if he had not been able to read her lips. His heart dropped at her facial expression. It was all there, everything he knew that she would feel. Guilt, shame, remorse, and regret were all swirling in her eyes. Eyes that were still dark from the passion of moments before. But he noticed a spark of relief was also there. He watched as her eyes lit up with the knowledge that help was here. They were finally being rescued. So why did David feel like it was the opposite?

Mary Margaret stood to her feet, but stayed rooted to the spot where she was when she first saw the boats. David took a few steps back, hoping to remain as inconspicuous as possible, as the team of rescuers disembarked.

As soon as his feet hit the sand, Frank took off running for Mary Margaret. Emma couldn't help but groan as he made an elaborate display of concern and love. He swept her up into his arms, and kissed her soundly. Mary Margaret hummed into the kiss. It was out of surprise and not affection, but David didn't know that.

Frank set her back on the ground. Leo stepped forward to hug his daughter. Safe in her daddy's arms the tears came. He wiped her tears, and assured her that she was safe now, as he hugged her again. As soon as her father released her, Frank was back inside her personal bubble as he fawned over her.

"Baby, are you alright? I love you so much. I've been so worried about you."

"I'm fine, Frank, really."

"Thank goodness," he said. Then he put his arms around her and kissed her again, forcing his tongue between her closed lips. Mary tried to subtly push him away, but he had her wrapped up so tight, she could barely move. She was fully aware of everyone's eyes on her, especially her father's and David's. When it became clear that he was not letting her go anytime soon, she gave in to Frank's affections. She determined that this was not the time or place to cause a scene. She owed Frank that much. She knew now that she could no longer marry him, but that needed to be a private conversation, just between the two of them.

David flinched at the public display of affection, though he certainly couldn't blame Frank. He had every right to kiss her. Emma stepped up beside him, and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, he's merely putting on a grand show for my father." She placed her hand on his arm, giving it a light squeeze. She wanted him to know that she was on his team. David nodded at her, before turning away from the couple. He crept silently away, going to join Killian, who had remained on his boat as the others had come ashore.

Emma stepped forward then, ready to put this show to an end. "Seriously, Frank, give the girl some space, and let her breathe. She's just spent three nights stranded on a deserted Island, for goodness sake. If you're really worried about her, I can think of a lot of things she needs right now, more than you shoving your tongue down her throat. Like maybe some water, food, sleep, a shower, and clean clothes, for instance."

Frank finally released her. "A lot of room you have to talk, since she could have had all of those things days ago if you weren't such an idiot."

Mary Margaret put her hand up to stop him. "It's not Emma's fault. I fell off the boat. It was just an accident."

"Do you want to tell her or should I?" Frank taunted Emma.

"Tell me what?" Mary asked in confusion.

"Frank you're a dumb-," Emma started, before being interrupted by her father's barking voice.

"That's enough!"

"Tell me what?" Mary Margaret insisted, in spite of her father's declaration.

Dead silence ensued. Frank was too afraid of Leo to say another word. Emma was too afraid of Mary Margaret.

"Emma?" Mary addressed her sister, he voice laced with trepidation.

Emma opened and closed her mouth several times, but nothing came out. She wanted to talk to Mary alone. She didn't know how to explain it so she would understand in front of Leo and Frank.

Leopold stepped forward addressing Mary Margaret. "It looks like there's a storm coming. I think we should get you home. We can continue this discussion onboard the boat." He placed a hand on her back in an attempt to lead her away.

"Wait," Mary said, backing away from his touch. She turned behind her, scanning the immediate area. "Where's David?"

At her question, Emma noticed for the first time, that Killian's boat was no longer parked beside the fishing boat her father and Frank had traveled on. Looking, she could just make out the retreating vessel way off in the distance.

"He must have asked Killian to take him back," Emma pointed out.

Mary Margaret stared out to where Emma was pointing. She went pale, looking like she might breakdown at any moment. "He left me…again," she whispered under her breath, so softly that it simply sounded like an exhale of air to those standing near her. She fought back the tears as she watched the boat disappear from view, her heart breaking again.


	11. Salvage

**Salvage**

Killian stood at the helm of the boat, watching David stare off into the distance. He felt sorry for the man. He understood the desire to get out of there, but he was also sure that David was only making things worse. He was certain for himself, that there would be hell to pay when next he saw Emma. He reached under the captain's chair and procured his hidden flask. He walked over to David and silently offered the flask to him. David glanced his way briefly before taking the flask in hand. He tried not to cough as he took a drink. He was not a big drinker of straight alcohol, but he savored the burn in his throat and chest as it went down, hoping it would numb the pain of heartbreak.

He handed the flask back to Killian, who took a large drink for himself before putting the cap back on. "A little something to help when I face Emma. I am quite positive that she will not be pleased by our early departure."

David winced at his words. "I really appreciate you getting me out of there. I'm sorry if it causes you trouble with Emma."

"She won't be happy, but she will no doubt understand. Emma is inclined to engage in the same sort of behavior."

"What kind of behavior are you referring to?"

"Running away, mate."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"If you prefer I could call it quitting, or perhaps the term, giving up, strikes your fancy?"

"I call it letting go gracefully. Maybe you missed the passionate reunion between lovers, on display back at the beach. What did you expect me to do? Sit there and watch?"

"I don't know what you saw, but I saw nothing of the sort. What I saw was a poor lass with no clue how to handle the situation at hand. Her body was stiff as a statue, with her hands clenched at her sides the whole time. She did not return his embrace. The only emotion present on her face was shock, not passion."

David didn't respond as he contemplated Killian's view of what happened on the beach. The only problem, was that he couldn't stop seeing Frank with his arms around her, kissing her. Mary Margaret hadn't even noticed his departure when they left.

When Killian realized David was not going to comment, he continued with his observations. "I did though, in fact, see unbridled passion taking place on that beach moments before you became aware of our presence."

"You saw that?" David said, slightly embarrassed at the thought.

"It was hard to miss, mate. I have a feeling everyone witnessed it. No doubt Frank's actions when we arrived had more to do with marking his territory, than his love for Mary Margaret."

"I should have never kissed her. I had no right."

"Mary Margaret didn't appear to mind. In fact that she seemed fully engaged herself. The way I see it, she had just as much responsibility as you to put a stop to it, and she didn't."

"Maybe so. Still, I should have displayed more self-control. That's part of why I left. Mary Margaret needs the opportunity to decide about the future of her relationship with Frank without any pressure from me."

"I won't argue with that, but don't you think she deserves to know how you feel."

"She knows."

"Does she? Actions speak louder than words, Dave. Leaving her alone to face the repercussions of what happened on that Island, is shouting a message rather loudly. What you have to surmise is, whether it's the message you wish to project?"

With those words, Killian returned his attention to steering the boat, leaving David to hopefully think about what he said.

Meanwhile, Emma had gotten Mary Margaret settled on the fishing boat with a fresh bottle of water, and a blanket to curl up in. Frank had wasted no time telling Mary Margaret all the details of Emma's scheme. Emma responded by calling Frank names and reminding everyone of his many reported dalliances. Finally Mary had had enough, and commanded both of them to shut up. She spent the remainder of the trip back to the beach house in complete silence, refusing to acknowledge either one of them.

Upon their return, she had gone straight to her room and taken a long, hot shower. By the time she got out, at least one decision was settled in her heart. She exited the bathroom to find Frank sitting on the bed waiting for her. He immediately rose, and moved to embrace her, attempting to pull her into a kiss.

She forcefully removed his hands from around her body and stepped back. "No Frank. I'm sorry, but no."

He immediately looked contrite. "I understand. I know you must be exhausted. Why don't you get some rest? I'll be here when you wake up."

"I am tired, but that's not why I said no. I can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what anymore?"

"Us. I can't do us anymore."

"If this is about those girls, I promise there is nothing to be worried about. From now on, baby, there will be no one but you. I promise."

"This has nothing to do with that."

"I see," Frank said angrily. It's about him isn't it?"

"No," she said sorrowfully. "This has nothing to do with David."

"Don't lie to me. I saw you together. What exactly happened on that Island?"

Mary Margaret winced at the anger in his voice, as guilt washed over her. "I'm really sorry about what you saw. Nothing more happened. We kissed, that's all. Honestly it has nothing to do with this. This is about you and me. I don't think we would really be happy together. We don't really love each other, not like married couples should. We don't have the kind of love that makes sacrifice and compromise worth it. Eventually we would grow to despise each other. "

"I know you don't believe it, but I do love you. Think of all we could accomplish together. We would make such a great team, you and I."

"I don't want a just a teammate. I want a soulmate." Her voice held a great amount of sadness, but also was full of the strength of her convictions.

Mary Margaret took off her engagement ring, and held it out to return it to him. He stood there for a long time, as if he were going to argue, or beg and plead with her to reconsider. Finally though, he took the ring from her, and left the room. Mary Margaret collapsed on the bed in tears that were a mixture of sadness and relief.

Once the tears had dried up, Mary Margaret got up and began to pack. She was ready to go home. Thankfully, her father had been able to get them a flight home that would be leaving in a few hours.

Emma entered her room shortly after she began packing. Mary Margaret refused to acknowledge her presence.

"I guess you're still not talking to me?" Emma questioned. She tried to give off a lightness in her attitude hoping to break down her sister's resistance. Mary Margaret just continued calmly packing.

"I thought you might want to know that Frank is gone. He told us that you called off the wedding. He tried to get Leo to intervene. Dad told him the best thing to do for now was to give you some space."

Mary acted like she hadn't heard a word she said, as she slowly and meticulously folded her clothing one by one. Emma sat on the bed and reached out to grab her hand, trying to force her to talk.

"I know you are mad, and you have every right to be, but please. I was just trying to help. I thought I was doing to the right thing. Surely you can see that. I love you, and I want you to be happy.'

Mary Margaret pulled her hand away and walked into the bathroom to grab her toiletries.

Frustration rose, as Emma had finally had enough. Nobody out-stubborned Emma Swan. Rising she grabbed Mary Margaret and pulled her back into the bedroom pushing her into the chair near the window.

"You don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but you're damn well going to listen."

When Mary Margaret didn't move, Emma took a deep breath and began to pace nervously, hoping the right words would come.

"I know David screwed up. I understand that you are hurt and angry. I know that things look hopeless, but trust me they're not. Do you know how I know that? You Mary Margaret. You taught me that. When Mom died, and Dad retreated into his grief, you never lost hope. You read me fairytales every night and told me that someday we would find our happy ending. Back then I didn't believe. I thought you were being stupid and naive. Then I met Killian, and you know what? I still struggled to believe. But there was this voice in my head…your voice. It was telling me to go for it. Telling me that love was possible. Dad thought I was being rebellious, but I wasn't. The truth was I was scared to death. I didn't trust love, but I trusted you. And it turns out you were right. Life with Killian is better than I ever thought possible"

Emma stopped her pacing and bent down on the floor in front of Mary Margaret. She reached out and took her sister's hand, grateful when she didn't pull away, though she still refused eye contact.

"Less than a week ago you told me that a part of love was forgiveness. Today, you are hurting so much that maybe you no longer believe it, but it's still true. David loves you. I'm asking you to forgive him. I'm telling you, love is worth it. If you need someone to blame, blame me, not David. This is all my fault. I manipulated the two of you and I'm sorry. Don't let my mistake take away your happy ending."

Mary Margaret finally looked up and met her eyes. "I can't believe what you did to me. I'm not ready to forgive you, but Emma, the mistake that hurts most, that was not yours, it was David's."

Before Emma could respond her father entered the room. He too was playing the ignore Emma game, looking only at her sister.

"Mary Margaret, we need to go if we are going to make our flight. Are you ready?"

Mary Margaret stood up. "Yes, father, I just need to zip up my luggage."

She went to the bag lying open on her bed, but he stopped her. "Here, let me get that for you."

As soon as Leo had said that to her she grabbed her purse from the dresser. "I'll wait in the car then," she said, desperate to get out of there.

Leo zipped up Mary Margaret's suitcase and lifted it off the bed. When he turned to exit the room, he noticed that Emma had stepped in front of the door, blocking his way.

"Move, Emma. We need to get going."

"She won't listen to me. Please, I'm begging you. You know she loves him."

"What exactly is it you would like me to do?" His voice was full of anger and exasperation. Emma knew the question was rhetorical. He had no intention of doing anything, but she was still going to take the opening he gave her.

"Your approval means so much to her. It's the number one reason she was with Frank in the first place. Give her the freedom to follow her heart."

"You're not old enough to understand this yet, but sometimes your heart can lead you astray. Life is not a fairytale. I'm trying to encourage her to take the path that will ensure her future."

Leopold made his way past Emma and down the stairs. Emma followed him to the top of the stairs.

"And you're lack of heart is leading you astray. Mother would be so disappointed in you if she were alive. She would never want either of us to settle for anything less than true love."

Leopold stopped on the bottom of the stairs, and turned back to Emma. He looked truly wounded at her words. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something and then thought better of it, and merely walked out the door. Emma collapsed onto the stairs, a wreck of emotions. She had made such a mess of things. Killian had warned her of the consequences, but she had never imagined it would turn out quite like this. She pulled out her phone and dialed Killian's number, desperate for the comfort only his love could bring.

David sat in the back of the cab, his foot pressed down on an imaginary accelerator, as if by sheer will he could make the car go faster. Emma's phone call to Killian had spurred him into action. Killian had insisted he stay with him for the night. He had been sitting there having a pity party, feeling sorry for himself, until he heard that Mary Margaret was on her way back to Maine. At that moment, he knew that he couldn't let her go again. He was going to fight for her. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, but he intended to earn it.

He barely waited for the cab to come to a complete stop, before jumping out and rushing into the airport. When entered the terminal, he looked around. Mary Margaret was nowhere to be seen. She must have already checked her baggage and entered the secure area to head to her gate. He had no choice but to buy a ticket if he wanted back there. He was standing in line, with his shoes in his hand, waiting to go through thee metal detectors when he heard the intercom call for people to start boarding the flight to Maine.

With no thought to the consequences, he pushed through to the front of the line. He dropped his shoes and keys on the table and sprinted through the metal detector. He didn't stop to grab his shoes or keys, just continued full speed and barefoot toward the concourse. He never even heard security call for him to stop, as everything around him faded away in his desperation to get to her.

His heart leaped in his chest as he spotted her in line to board, mere feet from disappearing behind the door. He called out her name. Relief filled him as he saw her turn. She had heard him.

"David?" She called as she stepped out of line and moved toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"I Love You. I will always love."

He pulled out the ring. The one thing he had managed to hold onto at the security gate. He held it out, but before he ask the question he had been waiting two years to ask, he was tackled to the ground by security. The ring was knocked from his hand. He heard the metal smack against the tile floor as it bounced twice before rolling to a stop at Mary Margaret's feet.

She looked back and forth between the ring and David, her mouth agape. She didn't move as she watched David being handcuffed and the pulled to his feet as they then proceeded to frisk him. David never looked away from her, ignoring the fact that he was apparently being taken into custody. His only thoughts were about making her understand.

"I had that ring in my hand to give you two years ago. I had planned on asking you to marry me the night of your father's party, but I let myself be convinced that I wasn't good enough for you. I failed you and I regret it every day." David looked away from her for the first time, looking pointedly at Leopold. Mary Margaret noticed, and looked briefly at her father, but before she could question anything, David continued.

"Mary Margaret, I still want to marry you. I believe that we can still salvage our relationship. I know I have a lot of making up to do, but please give me a chance. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

The crowd that had gathered around in curiosity began clapping and calling for her to say yes. Multiple women made a show of shouting out that they would marry him if she wouldn't. David ignored the crowd. His attention was focused solely on her, searching for any kind of a sign that he had broken through the walls around her heart. There was none.

"Come on, Romeo," one of the guards said sarcastically.

"Looks like you're going to need to find another Juliette," The other one added laughing.

David didn't resist as they led him away.

Within minutes, the crowds began to disperse, as boarding for the plane resumed. Mary Margaret remained there, staring at the green-stoned ring which was still on the ground just in front of her.

The flight attendant came and placed her hand gently on Mary Margaret's shoulder. "Ma'am we need you to board the plane now." Mary nodded her head, although she looked like she hadn't really understood what the woman had asked of her.

Leopold looked at his daughter's face. In that moment it looked so much like her mother's. Emma's words came back to him. It was true. Eva would be disappointed in him. He had not intentionally set out to hurt either of his children, but he had. What a horrible father he had become. His own grief had turned him hard against the ideals of love. Emma had been so desperate to get away from him that she had legally changed her name. Now it seemed whatever choice he made here, Mary Margaret was likely to do the same.

He turned the airline employee. "My daughter will not be boarding this flight anymore. I will still be flying with you, but I would kindly appreciate it if you would give me just a moment."

Leopold bent down and retrieved the ring from the ground. He made a point to ignore what a simple and inexpensive ring it was. He took Mary Margaret by the arms and turned her to look at him. His voice was gentle as her asked her, "Do you love him?"

The question shocked Mary Margaret out of her stupor. Was her father genuinely asking her if she loved David? She was almost afraid to answer honestly, but her father's expression was one of sincerity.

"Yes, very much so."

He placed the ring in the palm of her hand. "Then go after him. Tell him that I have changed my Mind. That he has my blessing."

"What do you mean changed your mind?"

Leopold hesitated slightly before giving her an answer. "Mr. Nolan asked me for your hand in marriage two years ago. I'm afraid that I was not very accommodating at the time."

"What? Why would you do such a thing?"

"I was only trying to look out for you. I thought I was doing what was best at the time. Your sister said something today that made me think of your mother. You look so much like her you know. She was so beautiful."

Leopold paused as he gently ran a hand down her hair. He placed a hand under her chin and lifted her head. His focus on her features was so intense, yet he seemed to not even be seeing her. Overwhelmed with emotion and memories, he removed his hand and stepped back. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"I've had a lot of success in my life Mary Margaret. I've been blessed with wealth and power and influence, but I've never been as happy as I was with your mother. For a longtime I thought the heartbreak of losing her wasn't worth the joy of loving her, but I was wrong. Love…if it's real…if it's true…if it's free from selfish motives…if it's returned in equal measure…is greater than any other thing. That's what your mother always said, and she was right. "

Mary Margaret had never heard her father speak so poetically. Tears were shining in his eyes and his smile was genuine. She reached up and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy," she said, her voice choked with emotion. She gave him a last quick smile, before she turned and rushed to find David.


	12. No More Leaving

**No More Leaving**

David looked around the stark white room where they had taken him. It felt as cold and empty as his heart did at this moment. Mary Margaret had barely looked at him during his plea for a second chance. When she did her eyes were foggy and distant. He was unable to discern what she was feeling at all. He wasn't even sure that she was listening to him. She just looked lost and broken.

"Yes sir, I understand."

The words, coming from the Transportation Security Officer standing in the corner of the room, drew David's attention. The officer had moved to the corner earlier to answer a phone call. He ended the call and clipped his phone onto his belt, as he turned and addressed David.

"Well, it would seem that you have friends in high places. Someone from Homeland Security has called and said that no charges will be filed against you. You're quite the lucky guy. They don't usually mess around when it comes to airport security. We have orders to release you into the custody of your commanding officer, who is on his way."

The officer made his way to the door. He paused with his hand on the handle and turned back around. "You also have a visitor."

The officer left David alone in the room. If he was not being charged, why hadn't the officer removed his handcuffs? His heart raced as he worried about who the visitor could be. He didn't know anyone with the power to influence Homeland Security, no one who was his friend anyway. It was a government agency. Leopold Blanchard probably knew people there. Leo, or possibly Frank. Neither option made him feel good about his imminent visitor, especially when he was still handcuffed to the chair.

Twenty minutes later, he was still nervously waiting to see which one was going to appear through that door. It was also possible that they were going to team up together to make sure that he disappeared from Mary Margaret's life forever. With their connections they could probably get him a permanent tour of duty at some obscure base overseas, or worse. He pulled again at the cuffs that were keeping his hands securely fixed to the back of his chair. He wondered if they were watching him, enjoying the sight of his increasing agitation, as he sweated it out. Whatever they tried, he wasn't planning on giving up easy. He was going to fight for her this time.

At the sound of the door opening, he swallowed his anxiety, and looked up, his cocky expression a daring challenge to whoever entered that room. He wanted them to know that he would not be intimidated by them.

He stopped breathing and his heart pounded as his visitor was revealed to him. Shock rendered him speechless. It took a moment for his brain to readjust to the fact the she was the one who came through the door. Slowly his expression changed from smug boldness to a timid smile of hope.

Mary Margaret stepped quietly into the room, and leaned back against the door, pushing it closed. She remained there, taking in his changing expression with a slight sense of amusement.

"I take it that you were expecting someone else?"

Hearing the lightheartedness in her voice, he allowed himself to breathe again. "I thought perhaps it would be your father, or maybe even Frank, telling me that I had no place in your life. Trying to force me to go away again."

"And would you? Go away again if they tried to pressure you into it?"

All levity left the room, as the criticalness of this moment hit him. He could feel the handcuffs cutting into his wrists as he quietly strained against their hold. He wanted nothing more than to jump from his seat and wrap his arms around her and never let her go again. To let his touch and his kisses be a sign of how much he loved her. Instead he had only his words. It was imperative he choose the right ones.

Mary Margaret stood at the door watching and waiting. Fear gripped her as his answer took much longer than anticipated. It had been less than an hour since his epic display of love in the airport terminal. Surely he couldn't have changed his mind already. Instinctively, she pushed her body harder against the door. She could feel her legs starting to buckle. She needed the tension to help keep her rooted in place, when all she really wanted to do was fall into his lap and kiss some sense into him.

"Mary Margaret," David started, his voice quiet, but intense. "I love you with all my heart, with everything I am. I need you to know that. When I left you it had nothing to do with me not loving you, and everything to do with the fact that I did. I left because I thought it would make you happy. My mistake was that I listened to your father. I assumed things about your relationship with Frank. I assumed that you didn't feel the same way about me that I did about you. My greatest regret was that I never asked you want you wanted."

Mary Margaret took a step away from the door, ready to shower him with the kisses she had been straining to hold back since she stepped through the door. She stopped abruptly when David continued speaking.

"I want you to be my wife more than I've ever wanted anything in my life, except for one thing."

Mary Margaret went still as he said that. Tears flooded her eyes, one word ringing repeatedly in her head. I want you, except…except…except. There was an exception. The moment he noticed the tears start, he cursed silently to himself. He was screwing this up. She didn't understand.

"Mary Margaret you don't understand. The one thing that is more important to me than my own happiness…is your happiness. It would break my heart to leave, but if it's what you want, if it's what will make you happy, I will walk away. So the answer to your question is never. I will never go away again…unless you want me to. No one else can make me go away, except you."

He barely got the last words out of his mouth before she rushed him. She practically fell into his lap as she clutched his shirt in her fists and crashed onto his lips.

"No, no, no. Never. Never go away." She managed to spurt out between kisses.

His hands were frustratingly locked helplessly behind him, so he pressed his chest to hers and intertwined their legs, needing to be as close as possible. Sensing his need, she released his shirt and wrapped her arms around his neck joining him in his effort to erase all space between them. They kissed, both struggling to maintain their self-control. Mary Margaret broke the kiss when it became necessary for her to keep her composure. Remaining in his lap, she laid her head on his shoulder. A sense of completeness and peace washed through her.

"What about Frank?" He asked, momentarily breaking the spell.

"I gave him his ring back. It's over."

"And he's okay with that?"

"He'll have to be. I'm not in love with him." she said, as she pressed even tighter into him in reassurance."

"And your father?" She could hear the worry in his voice.

How she loved him for wanting his approval. For understanding how much her father meant to her. But there was something more she needed him to understand. She lifted her head from his chest so she could look him in the eye. Those beautiful blue eyes, which were clouded over in doubt and apprehension.

"David, I love you. Nothing my father says or does will ever change that. It will never make me love you any less. I need you to believe that."

She leaned down and enclosed his mouth with hers. It was not a kiss of lustful passion, but of an even deeper need. She kissed him steadily, slowly and tenderly, as she put everything into showing him the depth of her love. When she finally felt him relax into the kiss she pulled back.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Yes," he said, unable to hide the huskiness of his voice.

"Good." She sat up a little straighter in his lap. "Now that we have that settled, I have a message for you from my father." She felt him tense under her as a slight look of anxiety crossed his face. She looked at him pointedly, a smirk playing just under the surface. "You just said you believed me when I said that my father's opinion could never change my love for you?"

He looked at her seductively. "Maybe I need you to convince me some more."

She crossed her arms over her chest with a look that said, not happening buddy so reign it back in. It was such a teacher look, David couldn't help it as he started to laugh. Oh how he had missed her attempts at using fourth grade teaching techniques to keep him in line. It usually worked because she was so darn cute when she did it.

"You look like you are about to threaten to write my name on the board and keep me in for recess."

"Don't act like I wouldn't."

"I don't doubt that you would, only it would backfire on you. You would quickly discover that being alone with the teacher while everyone else was out to recess had been my plan all along."

"And that would backfire on you, as I would prove myself resistant to your charms."

"Care to wager on that?" There was a twinkle in his eye, as he gave her a self-assured grin, right before he launched himself into the crook of her neck. His breath tickled as he teasingly nipped at her pulse point.

They had always been unable to resist engaging in teasing banter between them. She tried to remain strict as she pushed him away and playfully slapped him, but it was so good to hear his laughter, that she couldn't keep from giggling herself. As they laughed together, she was filled with hope that all the hurt had not irreparably damaged their relationship.

"So what is your father's message?" David said as their laughter died down. He felt ready to handle whatever bad news she gave him.

"We have his blessing."

"Are you serious?" Surely she wouldn't tease about something as important as this.

"He said that you have his permission to ask me to marry you. In fact he's the one who picked up your ring off the floor and placed it in my hand, telling me I shouldn't get on the plane, but instead go after you."

She took the ring from her pocket and slipped it on the third finger of her right hand. She turned in his lap with her back against his chest as she held it up for both of them to see.

"I know my father was serious, because he didn't make any comments about it not being my type."

David swallowed hard, overcome by the sight of his mother's ring, finally on her finger. He leaned forward, once again annoyed by the handcuffs keeping his arms at bay. He placed his chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ear.

"What do you think? Is it your type?"

She tilted her head, seeming to consider it for a moment. "I think maybe it could be."

Bolstered by her answer, he tempted fate. "I'd much rather see it on the other hand, where it belongs. Mary Margaret, will you marry me?"

He waited with baited breath as she took the ring off of her right hand. She held it in her fingers as she turned to face him. Her green eyes met his for just a moment before she took the ring and placed it into the pocket of his jeans.

"No."

The room spun and he thought he might be sick. His heart constricted in his chest. He closed his eyes to reality and prayed that he actually would be sick.

Mary Margaret watched his reaction and knew immediately he was losing it. She grabbed his cheeks and pressed her lips to his, trying to bring him back.

"David, I'm not breaking up with you. I love you."

He opened his eyes at the sound of her voice. She kept her hold on his face as she placed her forehead on his.

"I just think we need some time. I need some time. Time to trust each other again. Time to rebuild what we had." She watched him take in what she said, their faces only inches apart. She waited patiently for a response before adding in a desperate whisper. "Please don't leave."

"Never!" He almost shouted it, the tinge of fear in her voice drawing him from his stupor. "I'm never leaving. I can wait. I'll wait for you forever if I have to."

He kissed her then, her lips, her eyes, her nose, her neck, behind her ear. He kissed all the places he could reach, trying to make up for the places he wanted to touch with his hands, but couldn't. He continued kissing her until she pulled away beyond his reach and he was forced to stop.

"Promise me one more thing?"

"Anything. Whatever you ask." And he meant it. He would give this woman whatever it was within his power to give her. And if it wasn't in his power, he was pretty sure he would still find a way to make whatever she desired come true.

"Don't wait forever to ask me again. I don't need forever."

She smiled at him with a grin that went ear to ear. He had only a moment to take in that adorable dimple on the right side of her face before she crashed into his lips and took his breath away again. They stayed like that until they heard sound of the door opening.

Mary Margaret vaulted from his lap, hurriedly smoothing out her clothing, which had managed to become quite wrinkled in spite of the fact that David's hands were tied.

"Captain." David straightened up as tall as he could at the appearance of his commanding officer. He probably should have considered at the time, what his actions may cost him in regards to his career, though he doubted it would have mattered. His judgement by that point had been too far clouded by his heart. And now that Mary Margaret had promised to someday accept his proposal, whatever punishment came his way was worth it.

The commanding officer cut an imposing figure as he shut the door and slowly moved into the room. His face was locked in an expression of anger and disappointment, but Mary Margaret thought she maybe saw a flash of understanding in his eyes.

"Airman Nolan, it seems you've gotten yourself in a bit of trouble."

"Yes, Sir."

The officer looked over at Mary Margaret. "Ms. Blanchard, I presume?"

Mary Margaret nodded in response. "Yes, and you're?"

"Captain James, Airman Nolan's commanding officer." The captain either ignored or didn't notice Mary Margaret as she stretched out her hand expecting a handshake. He turned his attention back to David.

"I can certainly see the allure, she's quite beautiful. Yet, I'm sure there were other options available for your romantic gesture that didn't include bypassing airport security measures. Those officers would have been well within their rights to have shot you."

"Yes, Sir."

"Yet, given Ms. Blanchard's presence here, and the fact that former Governor Blanchard has been making phone calls on your behalf, it would seem to have worked for you."

"Sir, I'm s-," David opened his mouth to speak, but the captain held his hand up to stop him.

"I don't want to hear your apologies or excuses, Nolan. In my book, your behavior is not up for debate. You defied the very security rules that you are charged with defending, and matters of the heart do not qualify as a valid excuse for that. I will not tolerate such actions from my men, and I most certainly will not let them go unpunished. If it were up to me, charges would be filed. As it stands, you are under 28 day restrictions with extra duties. You will remain confined to your barracks for anything other than drills, duties, training, and meals. You are to have no contact with anyone outside the base for the duration of your restrictions. That especially goes for Ms. Blanchard. If you are caught not abiding by the rules of your restrictions this deal will be voided and your actions in this airport today will be revisited under a court martial."

"Yes, Sir."

David tried not to look defeated. This was really the best possible outcome given his failure to stop when airport security called for him to. He hadn't dared a glance at Mary Margaret, afraid to see disappointment in her eyes. He had promised not to leave her, and while he was not technically leaving her, 28 days was a long time. After all his heart had been through in the last several days, he wasn't sure that he could survive 28 days without even speaking to her.

The officer moved to David and unlocked the handcuffs from the chair, pulling him to his feet. He stood between David and Mary Margaret, keeping his hand firmly on David's arm.

"Good day, Ms. Blanchard. Hopefully we may meet again, under better circumstances." With his back to David, he actually graced her with a small smile and a wink, showing he wasn't quite as hard-nosed as he projected to those under his command.

Captain James turned and led David toward the door. David's heart dropped to his feet. He wasn't even going to let him say good-bye. He didn't dare speak out, afraid that would qualify as breaking the rules of restriction. He looked desperately at Mary Margaret, mouthing I love you, trying to say with his eyes, everything he could not say out loud.

Mary Margaret recognized immediately the fear David was trying to hide behind his forced expression. As they passed her, headed for the door, she stepped in behind him and whispered in his ear.

"Don't worry. What's 28 days when you have true love?"

David's heart rose back to his chest. Those words were all he needed to remain strong for the next month.


	13. Operation Crab: Take 2

**Operation Crab: Take 2**

Mary Margaret stood at the sink of the kitchen…no, the galley. Why couldn't she remember that? She and David had agreed to spend the day with Emma and Killian on his new fancy yacht. She was silently washing the plates from the lunch the four of them had just shared out on the deck. Emma stood silently at the counter behind her, packing up the leftovers and placing them into the fridge. Mary Margaret was beginning to regret that she had let David talk her into this little excursion. He and Killian had become best buds in recent months, and Killian had been begging for the two of them to come sailing and check out his new boat. Mary Margaret had disliked being on the water before what she had come to call the 'Island incident'. She really hated it now. Not to mention that fact that her and Emma's relationship had never really recovered from said incident. She had been able to successfully avoid seeing her sister except at major holidays. During those times, she had used her family and friends as a buffer to avoid being alone with her. Emma had graciously not pushed it.

The school year had just ended and Mary Margaret was spending the summer looking for a teaching position closer to David's base. Once David had been released from his punishment, she began traveling back and forth to see him on the weekends. Occasionally, David would get a three day pass that would allow him to travel to her, but she was more than ready to put the frequent flights behind her. There was just one problem. The move from Maine would also put her closer to Emma, and with David's new friendship with Killian, he had been pushing for a reconciliation. David had begged her to come today. He had given her the most pathetic puppy dog pout she had ever seen and she found herself unable to say no.

Emma spoke up, daring to break the quiet. "You would think this fancy new yacht would come with staff to do the cleanup."

Mary Margaret didn't look at Emma, but gave only a slight grunt in response.

"What, no snarky comment about how that would impede mine and Killian's ability to use the galley for certain extra-curricular activities."

There was no response from Mary Margaret who continued to focus on the dishes.

"Come on, I know you want to." Emma goaded her, sounding like a petulant child.

"Actually, Emma, I would prefer not to comment on your and Killian's inappropriate behavior in a public space."

"Why? The old Mary Margaret would. I thought that maybe you had agreed to come here because you were finally ready to put all this behind us."

"I have put everything behind me."

"Everything except your anger and resentment at me."

"If that were true then I wouldn't be here. I am no longer angry at you?"

"So then why are you still punishing me?"

Mary Margaret dropped the glass she was holding back into the sink and turned around, finally giving her full attention to the conversation. "How exactly am I punishing you, Emma?

"You won't talk to me. You can barely stand to be in the same room with me. I've said I was sorry over and over again. I just don't understand why you are still so mad at me, especially when you and David are together now."

"That's the problem Emma. You think that just because David and I are together that everything is okay. That I should just forget about the lies and the manipulation. That there should be no repercussions because it all turned out in the end.

"That's not true Mary Margaret. I expected there would be fallout, but not this. You haven't spoken to me in almost a year. When is it going to be enough?"

"That's ridiculous. I talk to you. I've spent the last 2 hours talking to you."

Emma couldn't help the scoff that escaped her lips. "You talk to me like I'm a stranger. In the last 2 hours, you asked me about the weather and if I'd read any good books lately. I've never known you to care anything about the weather, and you know I don't read. I haven't read a book since I was ten years old."

"Well, I recall asking you how you were doing and you rolled your eyes and said fine. You could have elaborated if you were so keen on conversation."

"I didn't elaborate because you didn't really want me to."

"That's an assumption on your part."

Mary Margaret noticed the twitch in Emma's face as she went from frustrated to furious. She wasn't at all surprised when the platter near Emma went flying across the room. Emma's voice came out as what could only be described as an incensed screech.

"Okay then. Do you really want to know how I'm doing? Like crap! Is that what you want to hear? I have three open cases on my desk because I can't seem to focus. They've always given me the hard cases, because I'm the best at finding people. That's what I do. Now suddenly I can't. My boss is threatening to pull the cases from me if I don't get it together. Killian spends more time on his boat, or with David, than with me. According to him, I'm dispirited. Whatever the hell that means? He says he doesn't know how to help me. The thing is, he can't help me because he's not the problem. I'm the problem. I'm the one who screwed up and I don't know how to fix it. I don't know how to get my best friend to forgive me. She's always been the most forgiving person I know, yet she won't forgive me."

By the time, Emma had ended her rampage, her chest was heaving rapidly. She looked at the floor intent on not crying.

Mary Margaret stood there dumbfounded. This was not the first time she had been witness to such an outburst by Emma, but it was the first time that she felt entirely at fault. She was the worst person in the world. Emma was completely right. She had always been so quick to dole out forgiveness, except apparently, to those who really deserve it. How strange the human mind is. So willing to let go of the worst crimes when they're committed by those not close to you, but refusing to offer grace over the smallest offenses of those you love.

Unlike her sister, Mary Margaret didn't fight the tears as she moved to stand in front of her. "Oh Emma, I can't believe how awful I've been to you. I can't even explain why. I know that you wanted the best for me. You were just trying to keep me from making a huge mistake. You did keep me from making a huge mistake. I forgive you, but I wonder, can you forgive me?"

Relief filled Emma as she responded. "I miss you so much. I miss my best friend."

Mary Margaret reacted by throwing her arms around Emma, hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe. "I miss you too. I can't believe how foolish I've been."

Emma returned the hug for a moment before it became too much. "Mary Margaret, you're choking me here," Emma rasped out as she tried to wiggle out of her sister's grip.

About that time Killian stepped tentatively into the room. "Everything okay in here?"

"Yes," Emma said, this time exaggerating the rasp in her voice and bringing her hands to her throat. "Mary Margaret was just trying to choke me to death."

"What?" Killian exclaimed, as he moved to step protectively in front of Emma.

"She's kidding," Mary Margaret assured him with a smirk. "We have worked everything out. Though if she ever leaves me stranded like that again, I promise I'll do worse than trying to choke her."

Emma and Killian stared at her with their mouths open in the most stupefied expression.

"Seriously guys, I'm just kidding. Can't you take a joke?" Mary Margaret let out a laugh. Killian and Emma barely managed strained smiles.

Killian cleared his throat. "I'm glad to see that the two of you have reached an accord. You were in here so long that Dave and I were starting to get worried."

"Speaking of David, I should probably go let him know that everything's alright." Mary Margaret reached out and hugged Emma again before exiting.

Emma looked nervously to Killian. "What should we do?"

"Nothing. This one's on Dave, not us."

Mary Margaret made her way out onto the deck. She spotted David standing at the bow looking out over the railing. He smiled as he noticed her approach. He wondered if he would ever be able to look at her and not be captured by her beauty. She met his smile with one of her own. She wrapped her arm around his waist and placed a light kiss to his cheek.

"Hi," she said sweetly.

"Hi," he mimicked.

"I heard you were worried about me."

"Well, I was more worried for Emma actually. It sounded like it got a little heated in there. I'm pretty sure I heard glass break."

Mary Margaret winced. "There was a minor incident with a platter."

"I was afraid that you were letting her have it."

"Actually, she was letting me have it. I guess that outburst has been a long time coming."

He reached up and gently stroked her cheek. "Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes full of concern.

"I am," she replied. "It was about time that we had that talk. I know that you think so too."

"Only because I love you. I know you well enough to know that you could never be completely happy as long as you were estranged from your sister. I was hoping for a much calmer discussion though."

"It's okay. I deserved it. I've been so mean to her David, so unforgiving."

He took her in his arms and placed a kiss into her hair. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You had every right to feel betrayed and hurt, but it's time to let it go."

"You're right and I'm ready. I think Emma and I are going to be alright."

"You don't know how happy that makes me. I'll be forever grateful to Emma and to that little Island for bringing you back to me."

"I am too, though if you ever tell Emma, I'll deny it profusely.

She kissed him then, so grateful to be in his arms. He shifted away from her so he could look at her. His blue eyes were the exact color of the ocean behind him.

"Do you trust me?"

His voice was teasing, but she could hear a slight tinge of apprehension in his tone. His stare was so intense it sent shivers down her. Her heartbeat increased, as her stomach danced within her. This is it, she thought. He's going to ask me. She reached her hand out to the railing in an effort to steady herself. She had been waiting for this moment. Anticipated it would come soon. Imagined it over and over. She had not expected to feel so nervous. So unprepared.

"Mary Margaret, do you trust me?"

His repetition of the question pulled her from the wanderings of her mind.

"Yes."

Her voice was strong and true, as her gaze glistened with sincerity. All that surety ended when instead of getting down on one knee, he pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and tied it around her head.

"David, what-?"

She felt his hand on her waist and felt his breath in her ear. "Shhh, you said you trusted me."

A moment later she felt the wind blowing through her hair as the yacht began to move. The sensation of movement while being in the dark gave her vertigo. She tightened her grip on David, while wondering if she he would be angry if she pulled the blindfold off. He might take it as a sign she didn't really trust him. As much as she hated the dizziness and confusion she was experiencing right now, she trusted David implicitly. Still, she was grateful when she felt the boat come to a stop.

"Can I take this blindfold off?"

She let out a yelp when, instead of answering her, David unexpectedly scooped her up into his arms. By this time she had lost all sense of direction, so when David began to carry her, she couldn't tell where he was taking her. She began to panic slightly when she heard a boat motor turn over, and then head away from her. She had an idea where she might be and she was not happy about it. She was done with waiting for him to remove the cover from her eyes. She whipped the blindfold off.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but-"

She stopped talking abruptly when she registered not just where she was, but what she saw before her. Like she had thought, she was on the Island she and David had been left stranded on just about a year ago, but things were slightly different. Directly in front of her was a set of beach lounge chairs with a beach umbrella providing shade. A small wood stump next to them held two coconut shells that must contain a drink of some sort because they had straws and tiny umbrellas. There was a table set up under the tree, with an ice chest near it that she assumed was full food. Next to that was a tent, large enough to stand up in. The door was tied open and she could see a suitcase inside.

David stood her gently onto the sand and gave her one of his charming smiles. "What was that you were saying?"

She returned his smile. "Did you do all this?"

He laughed. "No, I don't think that's what you were saying at all.

"You're right," she admitted rather impertinently. "I was going to say that you better not have taken me to that godforsaken Island."

"You just admitted that you were grateful for our little Island adventure."

"That didn't mean that I wanted to be back here anytime soon."

Sheepishly, David pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I can call Emma and Killian and tell them to come back for us now."

"They are coming back for us eventually, right?"

"Yes, I promise. They are picking us up tomorrow afternoon."

"Well, since you obviously went to a lot of trouble to put this all together, we can stay."

He ran his hand down her arm to her fingers, intertwining them with his. "I'm sorry, I should have asked you first.

She responded with genuine sincerity as she touched her fingertips to his cheek. "It's just that not all of the memories are good."

"So let's make some new ones." He twirled her fully into his embrace. "I have a great idea on where to start," he whispered into her ear just before touching his lips to that certain spot on her neck that he knew always got to her.

An involuntary moan issued from her mouth as soon as she felt the warmth of his lips tickle her neck. She let him work his magic for several moments before she found the strength to push him away.

"Actually, I was thinking that those chairs, and whatever hopefully sweet concoction you have in those coconuts would be a nice place to start."

He released her, trying not to let his disappointment show. "I asked Emma to pack you a bag, if you wanted to go change first."

Mary Margaret entered the tent and changed into a red bathing suit, flip flops, and a sheer white cover-up she found. She emerged to find that David had shed his own clothing and now donned a pair of swim trunks. She was appreciative when he pulled out sunscreen and her favorite back sunglasses, which she thought had been left on Killian's boat.

They spent the afternoon alternating between relaxing on the beach and swimming. David insisted on reapplying her sunscreen every couple of hours. It was a necessity given her pale skin tone, but there was no doubt he had other motives given how long it would take him to rub it in, ensuring he didn't miss a spot. Not that she minded. In fact she rather enjoyed returning the favor.

As the afternoon wore on, Mary Margaret could feel hunger creeping up on her. She had not eaten much lunch earlier on the boat. The tension from still being mad at Emma had affected her appetite.

She sat up and turned to David. "So what did you bring to eat?"

"I thought maybe we would catch our dinner again. How about we go crabbing?"

A smile emerged on her face. "I think that's a great idea."

David breathed a sigh of relief as Mary Margaret stood up excitedly. Catching that crab last time had actually been one of the highlights for her. She pulled off her cover-up and sunglasses, kicked her shoes off, and splashed into the water. David laughingly followed her to the rocky tide pools.

"Why don't you look here," David told her. "I'm going to go around to that area over there and see what I can find."

David moved around to an area behind some large rocks from where he had left Mary Margaret looking. He reached down into the water and pulled up the cage that he had placed there earlier. He removed the crab from it.

"I found one over here. Come help me."

Just before Mary Margaret got there, he dropped the crab back into the water.

"Do you think you can grab him, while I keep him distracted?"

She nodded that she could and stepped gently around so that she was behind the crab. David kept a close eye on the crab. He made sure that it was watching his movements and not Mary Margaret's. He exhaled in relief when she managed to grab it and bring it up from the water.

She giggled breathlessly as she rose from the water clutching her prize. "I've still got it," she announced proudly.

She stood there before him, hands full of crab, with her dazzling smile and musical laughter. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her wet hair curled gently around her face, and water droplets glistened off her skin. She looked so much like she did that night in the rain. The night that he knew, without a doubt, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life surrounded by her laughter.

He was plucked from the memory by the sound of her squeal as the crab squirmed, desperate to be released from her hold. He sprang into action, rushing to her and catching the crab, just as she was about to drop it.

"Oh, honey, don't drop him."

"I'm sorry. I was afraid he was going to pinch me."

David pretended to examine the crab more closely. "I don't think so. His claw seems to be stuck shut. I think that there is something in there."

David adjusted the crab so that he had a hold of either side of the claw. "Hold out your hand for me."

Mary Margaret quickly put her hands behind her back and shook her head. "No way. You don't know what's in there."

"I guess I'll have to do it myself then."

"It's probably something nasty and slimy, like whatever it intended to have for dinner."

"I'll take my chances." David winked at her as he turned his hands so that the contents would drop into his bottom palm.

Suddenly David screamed out as if in pain. He dropped the crab and clutched his fisted hand into his stomach. "Ow, I think something bit me."

Forgetting her fear in the wake of David's pain, Mary Margaret grabbed for his hand. "Sweetheart, let me see. Is it bleeding?" She took his hand in hers. She noticed a flash of silver as she forced his fingers open. It took only a moment for her to realize that he was not bleeding, and what was cupped in his palm.

Time seemed to stand still as she stared at the ring, tears shining in her eyes. Then without warning, she punched him in the arm. "That was mean. Why would you do that?"

"Well," he shrugged his shoulders. "I asked you to hold out your hand. I even had a bunch of flowery words all prepared to say. Then you refused to cooperate. I had to improvise."

"And that was what you came up with?" Mary Margaret wanted to remain angry, but couldn't keep her laughter in. Even when he was being completely outrageous, he managed to be charming. "Will it always be our fate to have things turn into such crazy adventures?"

"I certainly hope so."

He took her left hand in his, and gently slipped the simple ring on her finger. "Love is always an adventure, and I love you Mary Margaret. If you'll have me, I promise to be your biggest supporter, defender, comforter, and friend. Will you marry me and be by my side on what promises to be a crazy, astounding, wonderful adventure?"

She couldn't stop the tears as she squeezed his hand in hers. "Yes. There is no one else I would ever want to go on such an adventure with."

The crab and all thoughts of dinner were forgotten as he wrapped her tightly in his arms and together they celebrated the beginning of the rest of their life together.

Six months later, Emma, Killian, Ruby, and Graham stood by them as they were married in an intimate ceremony attended by their closest family and friends.

Over the years, they continued to make frequent trips back to the Island, often bringing family and friends along. Mary Margaret continued to insist that she wasn't a water person, and didn't like the beach very much. David knew better than to disagree, though he had long since determined that she secretly loved their trips to the Island.

They spent their first anniversary bathed in the light of a full moon reflecting off the water, while dancing barefoot on the sand.

When David was deployed overseas for six months, somehow being on the Island made her feel closer to him, and just a little less lonely.

When Mary Margaret learned that they would be adding a baby to their family she placed the pregnancy test in a small chest and buried it on the Island. Then she drew out a map and sent David in search of the treasure.

Their adventurous green-eyed princess took her first steps on the beach while chasing seagulls.

When David's mother succumbed to illness, Mary Margaret held onto him, her head resting on his shoulder, as he released a handful of her ashes into the breeze.

Their fearless four year old son had to be rushed to the hospital aboard Uncle Killian's yacht, after breaking his arm during a family trip to the Island. The incident happened when his six year old sister, inspired by their parents' stories, decided he should climb up on her shoulders to try and reach the fruit in the trees.

They celebrated their tenth anniversary shooting fireworks on the beach. Afterwards they sat together by the fire, huddled under blankets. That was when she took an envelope out of her jacket and handed it to.

"Happy Anniversary."

"What's this?"

"Open it," she said, rolling her eyes.

He opened the seal and unfolded the paper inside. His eyes opened wide in unbelief as he read their names on the deed inside.

"Mary Margaret, did you buy this Island?"

"I kind of considered it ours anyway, so I decided to make it legal."

"How? We can't afford this."

"I got a really good deal on it. My mother's jewelry covered most of it."

With tears in his eyes, his voice heavy with emotion, he questioned her. "Baby, you sold your mother's jewelry? But why?

"I love my mother. I treasure her memory…but not her jewelry. This place is different. It's the place where I found hope again. Where I found you again. I had thrown away the idea of love. I chose to hide my heart. Then my crazy sister intervened and we landed here. Being marooned here with you made me realize the only way to truly heal is to believe the possibility for happiness still exists. You made me believe in love again on this Island. And I want this place to always be here for us, and for our family. A place where we can be reminded about the power of love. A place where we can find rescue from the stress and busyness of the real world and just be together."

"Then that's what it will be. Our place of rescue. In fact, I think maybe you need to be rescued right now."

"From what?" She questioned, feigning innocence, though she knew exactly what he meant.

"I'll think of something," he assured her, as he lowered her to the ground and pulled the blankets over their heads, rescuing her once again with his love.

 **A/N: Thanks to everyone who read this story for coming on this journey with me. My sincerest appreciation to those who have shared their reviews with me. Time is your most valuable commodity, and the fact that you were willing to spend some of that reading a story that I wrote means more than I can express. I wish all of you a blessed New Year.**


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